By Staff Reporter Mr Swift, known for his gentle, adventurous, and kind soul, is a former School of Journalism and Media Studies lecturer and former Director for Advancement at the University. He obtained his Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies degree from the University in 1972. He was among the first group of journalism graduates of the school. In 2022, he was one of the deserving 50 recipients of the JMS50 awards handed out in celebration of the school’s 50th anniversary. After completing his degree, Mr Swift joined the Sunday Times and was the last journalist to travel through the…
Author: Luvuyo Mjekula
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By Chris Totobela It was a big weekend for Makhanda football as Makana LFA Premier League stream winners XI Attackers and Sophia Stars faced each other in a title decider on Saturday. Football fans came in droves to witness this much anticipated two-legged clash that had all the ingredients of a great encounter, for the league title and automatic promotion to the Hollywood Bets Regional League. The game started at a blistering pace with both teams showing their intentions as early as the first whistle. Both teams looked very comfortable on the ball but Sophia had a slight edge in…
By Luvuyo Mjekula Two years after being unceremoniously booted out of the Makana Municipal council, five PR councillors of the Makana Citizens Front (MCF) have been restored into the council by the Electoral Court, to much relief and jubilation. “We are vindicated. It was patently obvious from the outset that our removal was illegitimate and unlawful. We never gave up fighting for the people of Makana and we will take that fight back to the Council now that we have our seats back,” said Lungile Mxube, the leader of the MCF, as confirmed by the Electoral Court in its judgment…
By Lisakhanya Tali Makhanda has been hit by the unexpected closure of several big-name corporations in recent years. A number of popular businesses – Nando’s, Mug & Bean, Edgars, and Wakaberry, to name a few, have closed their doors. In March this year, Grocott’s Mail reported the closure of popular restaurant Fork & Dagger. It was reported that the unfortunate end of Fork & Dagger is a reoccurring phenomenon in the restaurant industry in Makhanda; with the closures of establishments such as Pandas Asia Kitchen, Café Capellini, Rustic Route and many other family-owned businesses, a pattern of economic struggles outweighing…
By Migcobo Majali Just two weeks before the general elections on 29 May, the faith-based African Transformation Movement (ATM), made its way to Makhanda to unpack its manifesto on Wednesday. Party president and member of the National Assembly, Vuyo Zungula, who was welcomed by an excited group of local followers, promised economic transformation to supporters at the TACC church building in Joza. In his delivery, Zungula advocated for a transformation of the South African political landscape based on advancing the economy. He pointed out that the freedom attained in 1994 was only political without the economic freedom black South Africans…
By Siviwe Mxuma In a recent gathering at Rhodes University, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student and Academic Affairs, Professor ‘Mabokang Monnapula-Mapesela, set the stage for an evening dedicated to celebrating community engagement. She emphasised the significance of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Community Engagement Award, an accolade honouring impactful collaborations between the university and its surrounding communities in education and research. “The Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Community Engagement Award is a prestigious and competitive Annual Award that recognises meaningful and committed partnerships between the members of the university and community partners in the areas of teaching, learning, and research, where human and material resources…
By Ephreeda Banda On 9 May 2024, the historic Albany Museum in Makhanda, South Africa hosted a significant event organised by Rhodes University’s Political and International Studies Department, along with the School of Journalism and Media Studies and Makhanda Legends. The gathering brought together intellectuals, activists, and community leaders to discuss “The Erosion of Democratic Institutions and the Future of Knowledge.” Advocate Vusi Pikoli, the keynote speaker, reflected on South Africa’s 30-year journey since democracy. He praised the improvements in infrastructure, such as better access to water and electricity for marginalised communities. Yet, Pikoli also acknowledged ongoing economic disparities, emphasising…
By Staff Reporter The widely spoken about pressures encountered by journalists in their craft are deadlines, lawsuits and, remarkably, in some communities, the freedom to do their work without fear of physical harm. The reality, however, is that there are many other serious challenges facing journalists. One of them is trauma. It comes from the graphic images and scenes journalists encounter in the field. The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) are concerned about this, and have decided to take remedial action. A joint statement from the two organisations states that…
By Geoff Embling For the past seven years, ongoing water outages in Makana Municipality have become more and more frequent. These water outages could have been avoided if Makana Municipality’s council and administration took more of an interest in the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works (JKWTW) upgrades. The upgrades should have cost roughly R100 million and were meant to be completed by 2017, but to date, the cost has ballooned more than four-fold, and the upgrades are not yet completed. According to GroundUp News, “the water service utility’s stakeholder manager Amanda Skritch, on 7 April, said the completion date has…