Author: 'Odidi

By ‘Odidi Matai-SigudlaOn 29 May, the Makana Municipality and the Department of Water and Sanitation began plans to launch a Health and Hygiene Awareness campaign in Makhanda following the discovery of E.coli in the water supply. The municipality had issued a “boil water” alert on 25 May after water quality tests revealed that E.coli had contaminated the town’s water. They later released a press statement explaining that they usually used Chlorine gas to purify the town’s water but ran short, and resorted to using Chlorine powder (HTH) as an alternative. The municipality claimed that this would usually be effective, but…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, has gazetted another extension to the final release of the report on the proposed forced relocation of the Makhanda High Court. In November 2022, the Moseneke Commission of Enquiry on the Rationalisation of Courts recommended that the court be relocated to Bisho. Since then, the Department of Justice has been taking submissions from the public. The Commission was supposed to release its final recommendation at the end of April, but Lamola has now granted an extension until 31 October 2023. Brin Brody, attorney and senior director of local…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla The trial of the pastor and traditional healer accused of rape, Odwa Kondile, was postponed in the Makhanda magistrate’s court once again this week. Kondile appeared on 29 May but because the prosecution was waiting for outstanding DNA results, the trial was postponed to 29 June 2023. Grocott’s Mail reported earlier that the accused was arrested on 16 April and made his first court appearance on 18 April. He has since been denied bail three times and remains in custody. Kondile is also a pastor at the St John’s Apostolic Church in Makhanda. While dozens of people…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla After the municipality sent the last pump of three at Howieson’s Poort to Johannesburg for repairs, the truck carrying the pump got stuck in a muddy and slippery road on 17 May, according to a press statement released by Makana Municipality. However, witnesses and residents who had circulated the picture of the truck on social media say it had remained there since Saturday 13 May, though the image provided was taken on Wednesday. The pump was sent to Johannesburg for the manufacturer to examine the pump in a different environment, away from the “insutu conditions,” said Municipal…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla and RU Communication and Advancement It was an educational week for those who attended the 2023 Community Engagement Learning Symposium hosted by Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE) at Amazwi Museum, from 9-11 May. The symposium highlighted higher education community engagement and its relevance and impact on South Africa and was filled with many experts who had boundless amounts of knowledge to share with those willing to feast. It included Professor George Openjuru, the Vice-Chancellor of Gulu University in Uganda; Martina Jordaan, Head of Community Engagement Research and Postgraduate Students at the University of Pretoria; Hannes Engelbrecht, Historical…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla Cable theft and a lack of light could not stop angry Ward Eight community members from gathering in the dark Wesleyan Methodist Church for an emergency community meeting on 16 May, to find a solution to the “big problem.” In attendance were municipal representatives, Makana municipality’s electricity distribution manager, Xhanti Bokwe; DA Ward Eight councillor Cary Clark; DA councillor and caucus leader in Makhanda, Luvuyo Sizani; Makhanda Business Forum chairperson Richard Gaybba; community activist and professor Philip Machanick; Makana police station commander Colonel Pika; Hi-Tec and Smhart Security companies, and the community policing forum. Ward 8 Councillor,…

By Ruvesen Naidoo and ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla On 8 May, hundreds of students gathered in support of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of Rhodes University for a peaceful protest about water outages. The shutdown was “adjourned” on 9 May, with students having mixed emotions about the result. Nkhaviso Mathebula, Thandeka Nzama, and Nokukhanya Zulu, who are all studying towards a Bachelor of Pharmacy at Rhodes University, felt that the protest was something that needed to happen as the students had been complaining about water cuts and a lack of proper maintenance on campus without being listened to. (From left to right)…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla Meryl Queisser, the owner of Meryl’s Jewelry Fayre, found peace and comfort in jewelry making while going through a rough patch in her life. She came to consider the idea when attending a country farmers market in Cape Town accompanied by her husband, Carl-Heinz Queisser, when a lady of one of the jewelry stores at the event suggested she start making jewellery. “Why would she tell me [I] should design and make jewelry? It wasn’t something I would have ever thought of doing,” said Queisser. Meryls-Jewelry-Fayre The following morning while having coffee with her husband, they noticed…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla A packed meeting of the Makhanda High Court Action Committee (MHCAC) at Graeme College on 24 April, has called for residents of the town to step up their efforts to prevent the proposed forced removal of the High Court to Bhisho. In November 2022, the Moseneke Commission recommended that the Eastern Cape seat of the High Court be moved to Bhisho – a recommendation that did not include any input from local organizations. It is the fifth attempt since 1996 to remove the High Court from Makhanda, with the previous attempts eventually being abandoned on the grounds…

By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla Many Makhandans are still not aware that the town has its very own Safe House for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and women who have secured protection orders against abusive people. The Makhanda Safe House is a National Safe House project, funded by the Department of Social Development as a safe space for abused women and children to run to. The house has been available to these women and children since 2009. Victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV), and victims who have filed a case or protection order often use the home as a temporary solace or…