Author: Rod Amner

By CHESLEY DANIELS Winning 15 out of 15 rugby games in the 2022 season is a rare and remarkable achievement. But, this is what the Graeme College U13 B’s recorded during the past school’s rugby season. The last full rugby season was back in 2019 when the U13B side won 12 games, and only one before the Covid-19 Pandemic halted all sports across the globe. U13B head coach Dylan Schneigansz is very proud. He has coached the U13B side since 2019. This season, eight of his players represented the U13A side, either on the bench as a replacement or due…

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By NOLWAKHE YVONNE YVESLIGHT SEWELO Cold, rainy weather did not deter dedicated learners from turning out in numbers in their warm winter jackets for another spelling bee on 20 August. Enzokuhle Bekwa from George Dickerson Primary) took first prize, followed by Khazimla Georgefrom the same school in second. Lisa Mtipa from Grahamstown Primary) took third place. Jaylice Fritz and Ntombizandile Skere volunteered to serve as judges. Parents and peers supported their children despite the icy weather. YvelightMuse sponsored the prices and Ms Deana (Principal at Bumble Bee) assisted with some equipment. Thanks to the manager of Fingo Library, Ms Zandi,…

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By PETER ROSE St Cyprian’s Church at Highlands is kicking off celebrations for its 130th anniversary at its Country Fair – the first since the Covid pandemic – on 11 September 2022. Celebrations will climax at next year’s Country Fair, held on the festival of the church’s Patron Saint, St Cyprian. The Fair starts at 11.30 am, immediately after the annual Patronal Eucharist Service at 10 am. A special event is taking place at the service this year. The Bishop of Grahamstown will dedicate a beautifully crafted Cedar Cross to the church’s founders. They had renovated an old stone building…

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Hi-Tec security guard Ncedeka Fikizolo sits next to or in the little faded green house, observing her world on Rhodes campus as she has done for the past nine years. “My job requires me to be visible to students all the time even though they never actually see me. My presence provides reassurance,” she says. Her mantra is never to try to be a hero but always to remember that a student’s safety comes first. So it feels nice to get home where the babble of walkie-talkie noise is replaced by the chatter and laughter of her children. And where…

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By BUKAMUSO SEBATA A group of friends dressed to the nines stumble through the red door that alternately swallows and spits out bodies on a quest to live out Mgarimbe’s iconic ‘Sister Bethina’. Shaky legs numbed out by the spirits of vodka and tequila, dazed eyes painted in hypnotising colours, pretty faces sculpted by friends playing painter. Moving to the popular youth anthem, they squeeze their way to the bar, drawn by the enchanting sirens of the spirits decked against the red wall. “Ufuna ntoni, chommi?” The question is repeated three more times with more attention paid to the lips…

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By AIDEN DARIES Thrift store owner Diana Westcott greets all her customers with a smile, a happy heart, and an unfamiliar accent. Although not from these parts, she has been sewn into the town’s fabric since arriving from the UK in 1975. From one small village in Wales to another small town in South Africa. You could say she finds comfort in modest spaces. She says that travelling to a different continent on a 10-day cruise ship was “like one long party”. She found her husband in South Africa, and they moved to the then secluded city known as Grahamstown.…

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By ROSS MARRINER In order to achieve financial freedom, you need to accumulate wealth that can generate enough income to cover your living expenses once you stop working. This situation is unfortunately not achieved by many individuals. Research undertaken by Genesis Analytics found that over 90% of South African retirees could not maintain the standard of living they enjoyed before they retired. The following are some suggestions that, if followed, may go a long way to assisting you in achieving financial freedom. Start saving and investing as early as possible. Although it is never too late to start investing, the…

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By CHESLEY DANIELS The Mary Waters 1st XV (MAWAS) ran in six tries as they proved too strong for their counterparts Nombulelo in their local School’s Rugby Fixture played at the Oval Sports Ground on Wednesday afternoon. Mawas took a commanding 25-0 lead at the break. Thousands came out in their numbers to pack the fortress Oval on a sunny afternoon to witness these two rivals battling it out between the four corners. Many watched how MAWAS performed their traditional haka as part of the school’s rugby culture that spans many years back. The crowd roared as Mawas started their haka…

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By CHESLEY DANIELS Old Collegians (OC) secured an injury-time 20-0 bonus point win over Ndlambe Tigers in their final fixture of the EPRU SEDRU Regional League competition at the Oval on Saturday afternoon. The home side took a decent 15-0 lead at the break. OC were also victorious against Tigers in their first-round match. The contest was played in a good spirit in cold weather conditions. It was also very physical and brutal throughout. Both forward packs took the ball up and were in each other’s faces all day. OC were under pressure in the early stages but came back…

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