By Chris Totobela Makhanda’s history-making football team Maru FC looks to make an indelible mark in the third tier of South African football, the ABC Motsepe League, to which the club was promoted recently. Chairman Wandile Duruwe spent some time with Grocott’s Mail this week in the publication’s feature, The Chairman’s Corner, to share their vision. GM: Congratulations on your promotion to the ABC Motsepe League and what do you make of your team’s good start to the league? WD: We work very hard at training and behind the scenes and it is not surprising to see us kicking off…
Author: Luvuyo Mjekula
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By Chris Totobela The Rhodes University men’s football team was dealt a huge blow when they were sidelined in the Nedbank Cup preliminary round of the Sarah Baartman region. According to South African Football Association (Safa) Sarah Baartman district’s secretary, Bongani Jibiliza, the local side was found guilty of fielding illegitimate players’ cards during their two-legged play-off match, which of Rhodes University won comfortably. The fixture list for the Nedbank Cup preliminary round has been issued and there is no sign of Rhodes as they have been replaced by the Port Alfred-based Arrows. This means the varsity team has forfeited…
By Luvuyo Mjekula Makana Municipality has hit back at Makhanda Citizens’ Front leader Lungile Mxube over allegations of abuse of a municipal petrol card. The municipality refuted Mxube’s claims and labelled them “malicious lies”. In a public statement sent to the media and circulated on social media last week, Mxube claimed that over the period of three months of July to September this year Mayor Yandiswa Vara “abused [the] petrol card and spent R90 000”. He said that in the three months she had spent R30 000 a month at the Mount Pleasant Petrol Station. “I wish the citizens of Makana,…
By Chris Totobela Makhanda’s top boxing club celebrated 30 years of success on Saturday at Hlalani Community Hall. Mfuzo Boxing Club is well known for producing provincial and national champions and has a very good record of producing talented female boxers. Last Saturday, they hosted their 30th anniversary tournament with clubs coming from all over the province. Thubalethu Boxing Club from Kariega, Mali Boxing Academy from Bathurst, Ace Mates from eQonce, Big Five from East London, Ndungwana from Cofimvaba, All Stars from Cumakala, Fort Beaufort Boxing Club from Fort Beaufort, Masibambisane from Port Aflred, Modern from Somerset East, Hotspurs from…
By Luvuyo Mjekula A Joza family is distraught after being told they will not get an RDP house because the site they have occupied for the past 35 years belongs to someone else. Vuyani Bashe and his wife Ntomboxolo Busani were among the first people to set up structures on the piece of land in lower Mnandi near Phumlani in Joza in 1990. They were there when the informal settlement was formalised by the Makana Municipality in the 2000s. The family was excited recently when a contractor moved into upper Mnandi and started erecting RDP houses. A Makana housing official…
By Chesley Daniels Klipfontein United continued to make history on Saturday when they beat Krakeel Evergreen 32-18 in their Epru Adams Cup semi-final encounter at the Central Sports Ground in Kariega. The “Team Never Quit” continues to make Sedru proud as they made history with their first appearance in the Adams Cup. As the newcomers, they also managed to overcome all obstacles, advancing to the finals of the competition. They also made further history by advancing to the Score Epru Grand Challenge Bottom 12 competition next year. United will face Excelsior Middelburg in the final of the Adams Cup on…
By Chesley Daniels Willows Cricket Club kicked off their 2025/2026 season with a resounding bonus-point victory over arch-rivals Makana Sona in the Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) derby this past weekend. The match, held at the Ally Weakly Rhodes Great Field, saw Makana Sona struggle to build momentum, eventually being bowled out for a modest 70 runs in 33.4 overs. The Willows’ bowling attack was led by seamer Liam Agnew who made his return to the game after a three-year lay-off due to injury. He claimed 3/12 (5.4), while spinner Alanzo Gysman 3/6 (5), Ethan Bokbaard 2/15 (10), Ajay Jeggels 1/18…
NguChris Totobela Iqela lesizwe lebhola ekhatywayo iBafana Bafana yenze imbali xa izibekela indawo kukhuphiswano lwendebe yomhlaba. Iqela loMzantsi Afrika lizijule ijacu ngethuba libetha iRwanda ngamanqaku amathathu eqandeni kwibala laseMbombela, laze ngokwenza njalo langena kuluhlu lwamaqela azakujongisa imibombo eMelika, Canada naseMexico kulo nyaka uzayo. Le mpumelelo iza emva kokuba eli qela belithe ngcu enkcochoyini lisandula ukuxulelwa amanqaku amathathu emva kokuba lafunyaniswa linetyala lokudlalisa uTebogo Mokoena owayengafanelanga ukuba adlale kumdlalo weli neLesotho emva kokuqokelela amakhadi amthubi amabini . UTalente Mbatha, Oswin Appolis noEvidence Makgopa bafake amanqaku ancede iqela loMzantsi Afrika ukuba lingene kwindebe yehlabathi, logama iNigeria yona iwenze walula lo mdlalo xa…
By Chris Totobela Top Makhanda side Maru FC recently secured their first point in the ABC Motsepe League, playing to draw with Komani’s Amavarara FC away. According to head coach, Siya Dumiso, Maru went to the game as underdogs. “We are new in this league and we are still learning, but playing as underdogs takes the pressure off our players.” The best team in Makhanda in the past few years, Maru fought very hard to come back home with a point in the game as Jeromia Walters made history and scored Maru’s first-ever goal in the more elite league. Dumiso…
By Chris Totobela Local boxers excelled at the recent South African National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) Cadets and Juniors Championships 2025 in Rustenburg, North West. Linathi Biko, Sisonke Matshotyana, Inathi Dlamini of Mfuzo Boxing Club, with Endinako Ndwayana and Sangenathi Valela of Masibambane Boxing Club and Qhamani Mkhunkqwana of Thembalethu Boxing Club, came home with national titles. Simnikiwe Stamper of Mfuzo Boxing Club was a silver medalist and also came home with the best bout trophy. Bathurst-based Mali Boxing Academy is also celebrating the success of their boxers. Sinothando “Pere” Maphaphu returned as a national champion, while Siyamthanda Mlisana and Libone…