Author: Rod Amner

Wishing you a happy, rewarding and successful new year. Research has shown that approximately 6% of South Africans will not have to experience a significant decline in their standard of living when they retire. Here are a few financial habits which, if adopted, will hopefully stand you in good stead as you navigate through 2023 and beyond. Start saving as much as you possibly can as early as possible and for as long as you can. The world’s greatest investor, Warren Buffett puts it well: “Do not save what is left after spending; instead spend what is left after saving.”…

By STAFF REPORTER Awongwa Magopeni, the top scholar of Holy Cross’s pioneer Grade 7 class in 2022, has achieved her dream of being accepted at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.  Awongwa’s success is a perfect farewell gift for the school’s principal, Kary McConnachie, who grew Holy Cross over ten years from a Foundation-Phase-only school into a fully-fledged primary school. McConnachie is retiring from a lifetime of service to education, including teaching at most of the schools in the city at some point and having been the principal of Kuyasa Special School before moving to Holy Cross. Magopeni’s achievement…

By STAFF REPORTER Rhodes University has condemned the assassination attempt on the University of Fort Hare Vice-Chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu and the murder of his bodyguard “in the strongest terms”. On Monday, Buhlungu told the Daily Dispatch he would not quit his job after his executive protection officer Mboneli Vesele was gunned down outside the VC’s home in Dikeni (formerly Alice) last Friday. Bodyguard Mboneli Vesele, 52, was murdered outside Prof Sakhela Buhlungu’s house on Friday night. Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Sizwe Mabizela, sent his condolences to the Vesele family on behalf of the University community. He called on the…

Jim Cambray measured 705.3mm of rain for 2022 at Park Road. This is just above the average of 692.2mm and the median of 678.2 for 1986 to 2022. The minimum yearly rainfall occurred in 2019 and was 465.3mm; the maximum was an abundant 1046.7mm in 2011. Rainfall for 29 December 2022 to 4 January 2023 was a meagre 3.5mm on Park Road, while Paul Maylam recorded an equally sparse 3.9mm on Cathcart Street. But, the city received soaking rain on Thursday, 5 January. See next week’s report for the final tally.

By CHRIS TOTOBELA All roads led to the 6Sai Army base for the final of the New Year’s Cup 2022. Both Bush Pirates and Camper United attracted a decent crowd from their respective towns of Addo and Gqeberha. Both teams started the game at a blistering pace with Camper united earning a corner kick with the first move of the game. Finalists walk onto the pitch led by the match officials at the 6SAI Battalion base. Photo: Chris Totobela Bush Pirates settled much more quickly and started dictating matters while playing scintillating football with a lot of possession. They created…

Jim Cambray reported 18.4mm of rain in Park Road for the week 22-28 December 2022 while Paul Maylam recorded 14mm in Cathcart Street. Cambray’s monthly total was 127.5mm by 28 December, but Maylam’s was a whopping 148mm with three days to go in the year. The December average is 63.6mm and the median 55.1mm. Rainfall ranged from a low of 6mm in 2004 to a high of 203.8mm in 1994.  Temperatures ranged from 13.5-34C for the week of 22-28 December.

By CHRIS TOTOBELA The stage is now set for the final game of the New year’s Cup 2022. Overwhelming favourites to lift the cup are Addo-based Bush Pirates. This is what at stake in the final: the New Year’s Cup trophy. Photo: Chris Totobela The Pirates had a very safe passage to the final after being awarded a walk-over against Heroes FC from Gqeberha, who failed to take the field at the scheduled kick-off. They will face the tournament’s dark horses, who fought very hard to earn a place in the final after beating Ayeza Amanzi on penalties after the…

By CHRIS TOTOBELA The last eight action of the New Year’s Cup 2022 produced fireworks. The cold and wet weather did not stop the teams from displaying scintillating football. In the day’s first game, Camper United narrowly defeated Ezithembele Bathen FC by a single first-half goal in their Gqeberha derby. In the second game, Ayeza Amanzi FC thrashed Thembu Warriors by five goals to nil in their one-sided encounter. Makhanda’s Abantwana came up against the powerful Gqeberha-based Heroes FC in a tightly-contested clash. Abantwana took an early lead from the penalty spot via the boot of Luyolo Matiwana and took…

By CHRIS TOTOBELA It was a festival of goals on day three of the New Year’s Cup (NYC) 2022. In the early kick-off, Addo-based title contenders Bush Pirates eased past Bathurst-based BMX by five goals to nil in a one-sided game. In the midday kick-off, Keiskammahoek-based Thembu Warriors dismantled Valgas FC from Queenstown by four unanswered goals. In the last game of the day, Makhanda’s Sophia Stars came up against Soul Buddies FC from Dimbaza. The Dimbaza side started like a house on fire, putting the home side under pressure in a perfect spell that lasted for 10 minutes. Sophia…

By CHRIS TOTOBELA Day two of the New Year’s Cup 2022 edition provided some fireworks. In the first game, Bathurst City Tigers locked horns with Gqeberha-based Camper United in an early kick-off. It did not take long for Camper United to settle down and dominate the midfield battle while making good use of their speedy right winger, who troubled Tigers with his blistering pace. The Tigers’ defence went to sleep and got punished by two quick goals, but they immediately pulled one back to reduce the deficit. Camper United used a lot of wing play and often caught the opposition’s…