A big shout-out to Nita’s Makhanda Events WhatsApp group for these listings. FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER Boat Race on The KowieOrganised by Round Table Port AlfredVarsity regattaLive entertainment and DJs on the riverbankFood stalls and bar. Zero glass policy.Out-of-town visitors are encouraged to camp on site08:30 – latehttps://www.quicket.co.za/events/184670-boat-race-on-the-kowie/?utm_source=EventPage&utm_medium=Sharebox&utm_campaign=&ref=event-page-shareFrom R80 Dassie DashHosted by GBS Mutual Bank, the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset and Albany RunnersMiles for Meals 2022Relay teams of 4 – 2.4km x 4For children, business teams, and joggers16:00Entry fee: Adults R25 Children R10 “The Ups and Downs of the First municipality (1862 – 67) in Grahamstown” – Fleur Way JonesAn amusing account…
Author: Rod Amner
Jim Cambray reported just 1.9mm of rain in Park Road for the week of 8-14 September. Paul Maylam recorded a fraction more, 2.3mm, in Cathcart Street. Temperatures ranged from 8.5C to 27C for the week. September has been a month thus far, but over four days from 17-20 September, 30mm or more of rain is expected over the whole of the Eastern Cape south of the escarpment, according to Garth Sampson of the SA Weather Service. Higher rainfall amounts are expected along the coast, between 50-100mm over the four days. The impacts of the heavier rainfall in places will only…
By ROD AMNER and SIVE FAITH GINYA A small ‘army’ of around 2000 local youth has been employed by the Social Employment Fund (SEF) to revitalise the city until March. They are fixing potholes, cleaning up illegal dumping sites, fixing schools, planting gardens, recycling waste and working for a range of local nonprofit organisations. Some of the potholes fixed by the ‘youth army’ in Queen Street. Photo: Toto Tsarneba. Over 1500 are being managed by the National Arts Festival (NAF) based at the Monument, while the rest are working through the Assumption Development Centre, Awarenet and Assitej. The organisations have…
By MARY BIRT, Food4Futures Food4Futures (F4F) appreciates and values every single cent we receive to buy groceries for parcels and help with our other costs of running F4F. Additional donations of clothing, bedding, shoes, and household goods are the cherry-on-the-top, the sweet and welcome add-ons we can give away. It is humbling to be part of such a caring community. Thank you. We are very settled in our new home at 2 Dundas Street. It is the perfect position in town and space for us to work. Come and visit us to see how we are progressing. We have an outstanding, consistent…
By JADE RHODE As you enter Jody-Ann Michaels’ room, you are greeted with a smile that warms the soul. The words “You owe it to yourself to become everything you’ve ever dreamed of being”, along with pictures of her mom, nephews, friends and cats, are plastered on either side of the room. Her bookshelf is filled with files and books, and a single pot plant takes centre stage on the top shelf. Jody is a 21-year-old third-year Rhodes University student and Makhanda native. Although a small town, she has no complaints about the area that raised her. “There are little…
By GRACE NAUME NDLOVU “Ndil’ iqabane.” That’s how Hlumela Mpiti identifies herself. She means that she is a force. Known as Mela, Mpiti’s self-proclaimed identity is indisputable. This 22-year-old is the mother of a two-year-old son, a Master’s student in the Drama Department, and a student leader. In 2021 she was the SRC Vice-President, where her mission, vision, and goal were for the council to be engaged and visible to the students. Mpiti and her council worked towards transparency between the student body and the university to execute their duties diligently. To this end, they were fully involved in the…
By LILITHA BOCO What goes on in the distinctive red brick school buildings on Beaufort Street so that year on year, girls go out into the world as resilient, independent, inclusive, confident, self-aware, and liberated individuals? Victoria Girls’ High School holds multiple accolades: SA School of the year in 2007, Best Governed School in South Africa in 2011, the Top Eastern Cape school in 2013, and an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Circle of Excellence School. When Grocott’s Mail went looking for this winning school’s principal, we found Warren Schmidt in his sunny office, showing an approach to teamwork that consistently…
By ROSS MARRINER September is recognised in the financial planning industry as ‘wills month’. The subject of death is not top-of-mind for most people, so this is probably one of the reasons why so many people pass away without leaving an up-to-date will. A last will and testament is a legal document that forms the cornerstone of your estate plan. It is there to facilitate the orderly administration of your estate in the event of your death. It is an important document that every one of us should have. Research has shown that most South African adults do not have…
By ROD AMNER The royal family toured South Africa from 17 February to 24 April 1947, including stopovers in Alicedale and Grahamstown. According to Graham Viney’s book The Last Hurrah: SA and the Last Royal Tour of 1947, they travelled 7 000 km, visited more than 400 cities, towns and stopovers, and spoke to 25 000 people. Field Marshall Jan Smuts met them aboard the HMS Vanguard battleship, and King George VI descended the gangplank to a 21-gun salute on Signal Hill. Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, 20, and Princess Margaret, 16, followed, and they were taken directly to the 14-car…
By ROD AMNER, OVAYO MILISA NOVUKELA and LINDA MKAZA Two Makhanda fire trucks and the Rhodes water truck extinguished a serious fire in the Settlers Hospital nurses home (previously used as a creche), which broke out Sunday morning. Department of Health spokesperson Yonela Dekeda said fire was noticed by staff on duty, who quickly informed the CEO. On arrival, the CEO realised that the Nurses Home side of the building was on fire. The Fire Department and the SAPS were called and responded swiftly to the scene. No injuries have been reported. Smoke emerges from the Nurses Home of Settlers…