By Luvuyo Mjekula Following an altercation between Makana Citizens Front (MCF) councillors and Makana Municipality council Speaker Mabhuti Matyumza in the council chambers on Thursday last week, that ended with Matyumza summoning law enforcement officers, MCF chairperson Lungile Mxube has come out in defence of his and his colleagues’ actions. Mxube, Philip Machanick and Kungeka Mashiane, refused to vacate the council seats they had occupied when they entered the chamber for the special council meeting last week, despite Matyumza’s repeated requests to move to the public gallery. The three considered themselves legitimate PR councillors of the MCF and said they…
Author: Luvuyo Mjekula
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By Luvuyo Mjekula The Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) recently made submissions towards the Makana Municipality’s 2024/25 draft budget and Integrated Development Programme (IDP). The PSAM is a civil society institute based at Rhodes University, which seeks to explore, better understand, and contribute to addressing particular societal problems originating from systemic public resource management (PRM) failures. In recent months, Makana mayor Yandiswa Vara, presented the draft budget and IDP to communities for input and comment. “The PSAM welcomes the opportunity to review and comment on the MLM draft budget and IDP for 2024/25. We also acknowledge the municipality’s recent efforts…
By Luvuyo Mjekula Grade 12 learners from Khutliso Daniels Secondary School in Joza were excited to get the opportunity to interact with court officials and learn about the Eastern Cape judiciary during a tour of the Makhanda High Court on Thursday. With the tour, court management sought to expose the learners to the working environment, not only inside the court building, but the judiciary, particularly in the Eastern Cape. The programme was apparently geared towards celebrating Youth Month and formed part of the High Court and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development’s social responsibility projects. Khutliso Daniels principal Radio Mcuba…
By Luvuyo Mjekula There was relief and celebration in the Makhanda Magistrate’s Court on Thursday as the 38-year-old man charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Ntombomzi “Nomirana” Nonze, was denied bail. Magistrate Mkontowesizwe Godolozi said releasing Mthuthuzeli Madinda would not be in the interests of justice considering, among other things, that he was a flight risk and had a violent disposition. Manyathi is charged with the murder of Nonze, his girlfriend, in her Vukani home on 18 May. Her body was discovered in the bedroom four days after she was killed, the court heard. The court also heard that…
By Chris Totobela Youth day will never be the same in Makhanda thanks to African Connection WFC, the only women’s football team in Makhanda. African Connection WFC is hosting a June 16 soccer tournament for girls, men and u15s as part of Youth Day celebrations. The tournament is open to all those interested irrespective of affiliation and will run from 15 until 17 June. Football lovers will be treated to a great feast of football as many teams have already indicated their intention to take part in this event. Makhanda has been a ghost town for more than a decade…
By Steven Lang The ANC in the Makana Municipal area shadowed the party’s poor performance nationally, but not quite as catastrophically. The local ANC dropped from a commanding 62.25% share in the previous national and provincial elections to a narrow majority of 51.6% this year. While the drop of 10.6% would normally be alarming, it is not as harsh as the party’s national loss of 17%. The local ANC’s performance looks even marginally healthier when compared to the 2021 local elections. In this year’s vote, the local ANC actually improved its position from 50.65% to 51.6%. This slight recovery can…
By Orla Quinlan, Director of Global Engagement Friday 31 May, the last day of Africa Month coincided with the 120th birthday of Rhodes University. Activities in May included public lectures, seminars, panel discussions, a conference, a colloquium, a book launch, interactive activities with students, a photo shoot celebrating cultural diversity, education campaigns, a postgraduate funding fair; all demonstrating Rhodes University’s continuing commitment to a vibrant intellectual life on campus. Notable public lectures: Culture, language, and Africa’s future: Emeritus Prof. Kwesi Kwaa Prah, a renowned sociologist and linguist, delivered the first lecture. He has driven Pan-African language development projects across the continent through…
By Siviwe Mxuma On 20 May 2024, Rhodes University continued its 120th-anniversary celebrations by hosting the first session of its two-day Sustainability Colloquium. This session, titled “Governance and Civil Society: Towards Reduced Inequalities,” featured distinguished speakers including Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Innovation, and Strategic Partnerships; Professor Leticia Greyling from the Rhodes Business School; Mr Alistair McMaster from the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, and Tourism; and Advocate Shuaib Rahim from the Rhodes University Law Faculty. “This event is part of our year-long celebrations, proudly marking 120 years of excellence at Rhodes University,” remarked Dr Mzilikazi, and…
By Sibongiseni Maphumulo Makhanda’s non-profit organisation Food4Futures recently hosted its highly anticipated fundraiser at the 1820 Settler’s Monument’s Fountain Foyer. The event came alive with the sounds of music and the spirit of community, featuring stellar performances from the Makhanda Kwantu Choir, Kingswood Music School, Rhodes Jazz Band, and the Access Music Project and drawing a lively crowd eager to support a worthy cause. Food4Futures is a Makhanda-based NPO with a primary focus on hunger alleviation, although they address other areas of need as well. The organisation supplies food parcels to families who are unable to adequately feed themselves. They distribute…
By Siliziwe Mahambehlala The NAF injects enjoyment and joy into this very small town. Suddenly, the locals, who typically have nothing going for them during the year, find their schedules filled with diverse activities to partake in. The never-ending honking of taxis and the electrifying energy show the town’s sudden change into this energy-driven factory. Overwhelmed with excitement, I find it in me to pardon this town for the moments it once drowned me in boredom. The NAF means the absolute world to me. It is a time in the year where I experience pure excitement in all aspects of…