By ‘Maleruo Leponesa The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in the Eastern Cape is facing an imminent crisis. So says Horatio Hendricks MPL, who is the the Democratic Alliance Shadow MEC for Education. Grocotts Mail interviewed Hendricks recently, seeking specific local data and insights regarding Makhanda schools. Non-compliance in Makhanda: No formal identification yet The looming threat of widespread kitchen closures due to non-compliance could put the daily meals of over 1.6 million learners at risk. Currently, however, no Makhanda schools have been formally identified as non-compliant with food and safety standards under the NSNP. Hendricks said a DA motion was…
Author: Maleruo Leponesa
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By ‘Maleruo Leponesa According to Marzia Milazzo, author of Colorblind Tools: Global Technologies of Racial Power, racism is still very much alive, with various “sugar coating” strategies used by racists to perpetuate this narrative. Milazzo explains, “This term ‘colorblind’… at least we know in this case serves as a metaphor for not considering race.” She explained this while discussing the book’s contents with the audience at the book launch held at Amazwi Museum on Monday, 25 August 2025. Milazzo added that the social scientists are making an argument that, since World War II, racism has fundamentally changed. She argues that,…
By ‘Maleruo Leponesa A group of about 30 concerned Makhanda business people gathered at the Albany Club earlier this month to donate money for revitalising projects and to hear from Jane Cowley, DA leader of the Frontier Constituency and Luvuyo Sizini, caucus leader of the DA in the same constituency. Cawley told the group they had their hearts indebted to Makhanda and they want to make a difference. The decay of this town means businesses lose value. No one wants to invest where there are water, electricity, sewage, roads and infrastructure problems. “Remember, when you have invested in a town,…
The 2025 National Arts Festival brought vibrancy, culture, and community spirit to Makhanda, with township homestay operators playing a vital role in hosting artists and visitors. Insights from 15 homestay operators reveal a festival season of modest successes, and a clear call for enhanced support to boost future tourism. During the festival (26 June to 6 July), the homestays hosted between one and 10 guests, with total bed nights ranging from two to 19 per operator. Two operators reported fully booked periods during the festival’s peak. However, many noted quieter bookings compared to previous years, particularly in the final days.…
Morwalo, Theatre Venue: Centenary Hall Review By ‘Maleruo Leponesa Morwalo is a Setswana word meaning burden. The play is aptly named as it relates to the weight of cultural and societal expectations placed on black men and the heavy consequences of these, particularly in the grips of the current backbreaking economy. The two main characters, Lesego and Odirile find themselves caught in the crossfire of being left carrying the yoke of family issues whilst still dealing with their personal challenges of unemployment and mental health problems. The two spend most of their time at the taxi rank, selling snacks and…
S’il vous plait, Theatre Venue: Beethoven Room Next performance: Beethoven Room, Thursday, July 3, 20:00 Review and interview By ‘Maleruo Leponesa S’il vous plait is a play acted by Mistress Mae (her stage name). She engages her audience by using them as characters playing as her multiple partners while she relates her own life experiences in love and romance with different partners. Her use of body language is appealing, and she engages different emotions all in one play. The audience sees a powerful, controlling woman who prides herself on always getting what she wants. She displays her multiple personalities with…
In the lead-up to the 2025 National Arts Festival (NAF), Grocott’s Mail reporter ‘Maleruo Leponesa worked closely with township homestay owners to help boost visibility, sharpen customer service, and attract festival-goers to their homes. Following the festival, we checked in with some hosts to hear how business went during the peak week, and the feedback was mixed. Linda Mtse, owner of Lish Homestay, said her home did not host any NAF-related guests during the festival week, which ran from 30 June to 6 July. “Unfortunately, business was not good,” she said. “The invoice I submitted to DSRAC this year was…
Messy, Theatre Venue: Victoria Girl’s High School Gymnasium Next Performance: Thursday 03 July 20:00 Review and Interview By Maleruo Leponesa Samantha Carlisle, writer and performer of the semi-autobiographical Messy, says, “it’s about my personal journey with sex, love, intimacy and my experiences of sex work, specifically online sex work as an OnlyFans creator; and all the terrible, terrible men I’ve been with.” Carlisle says her target audience is women because most women can relate when they watch her show. However, she says it is also important for men to see it as well. “They’re the ones that could actually learn something from…
Childhood in Chalk explores the period of school boycotts in Fingo Village (in Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown) from 1975 to 1985. Lion May, an audience member said afterwards: “I think it was a very strong show. Very beautifully put together. I’m a local from Makanda, so it’s amazing to learn as well from your own history. You always learn about other places during uprisings, but hearing of your own town and schools in your own background is so amazing. I also think just the expressions of emotion really captivated my attention. I’m coming back because I want to see the full thing with the…
By ‘Maleruo Leponesa The Eastern Cape SASSA has finally appointed a new CEO, Themba Matlou. During a media engagement session to present him to the public, the new CEO said he wants to ensure transparency with the public purse. SASSA’s mandate is to award social grants and protect any activity that is against the law in relation to this funding, however there are still a lot of challenges that SASSA still faces, such as identity theft, for which SASSA is strengthening its verification process in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the mobile service providers. The…