Happy Mandela Month! Every year, we honour Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy – a call to action for individuals, communities, and organisations to reflect on his values and make positive impacts in their communities. This second collection of stories, commissioned by Rhodes University Community Engagement, written by School of Journalism and Media Studies students, and co-published in Grocott’s Mail, showcases the vision and work of Makhandans who embody Mandela’s spirit of service. We will publish many more over the remainder of ‘Mandela Month’. The profiles illuminate how acts of committed service by ordinary Makhandans create ripple effects that strengthen our…
Author: Rod Amner
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By Laney van Wyk “Get help and self-help.” This simple yet powerful message embodies Dr Matolwandile Mtotywa’s principles for community transformation. A senior lecturer at Rhodes Business School, Mtotywa believes in seeking guidance while developing an entrepreneurial mindset. Both are rooted in education, which he sees as “the core and the future of the world.” Dr Mtotywa’s journey from industry executive to academic has been shaped by the transformative power of community engagement. In Makhanda, where employment is centred around Rhodes University and the municipality, he’s discovered that “there are people within the community that have a lot to offer,…
‘Possible’ by Tori Stowe, Visual arts Venue: Johan Carinus Art Centre Walkabout/Review By Tanya Maswaure With all that is happening in the world, environmentally, politically and even socially, it is so easy to fall into a habit of catastrophising. Everything seems so out of reach and beyond our control, and yet Tori Stowe reminds us that all impact, even negligible, is indeed possible. The Johan Carinus Art Centre is home to several unique exhibitions curated for the National Arts Festival. In an isolated section behind the lush gardens, Tori Stowe’s exhibition and workshop space welcomes art enthusiasts with a message…
Love Me, Feed Me, Never Leave Me: Comedy Venue: Masonic Front Next Performance: Tuesday 1 July 20:00 Review By Tanya Maswaure Love me, Feed me, Never Leave me is a theatre production for the practical, the saucy, and those who wear their hearts on their sleeves. The four brilliant artists effortlessly present the complexities of dating in our time as they swing from one scenario to another. This is a bit like watching a typical exciting rom-com with the traditional characters and predictable lines; the feeling of weaving in and out of emotions as you attempt to grapple with the…
Becoming Benno, Theatre Venue: Victoria Theatre Interview By Rosa-Karoo Loewe Daily Dispatch At 50, Durban-based performer and comedian Ben Voss doubted whether anyone would want to see him back on the National Arts Festival stage. “I’ve been a bit trepidatious,” he said. “You hit 50 and you’re like, am I relevant at all any more?” But his new one-man show, Becoming Benno, is so, so, funny. “This is a show I’ve written from my heart,” he said. “I haven’t been back since 2019, and I wondered if people would still be interested. “Art is valuable if you are doing it, but…
By Amahle Shosha When Debbie Turner speaks about ballet, her words are filled with deep affection. As the artistic director of Cape Ballet Africa, she sees dance not just as an art form but as a vital language, one she has dedicated her entire life to preserving. Performing as a professional dancer and running her own dance school has proven her tireless commitment to ballet, which has defined her career for over 30 years. “There is so much talent in this country,” Turner insists. Yet, despite this abundance, professional opportunities are scarce. In the mid-1990s, there were over 200 paid…
Ganga Nyoko! Inzima Nyoko!, Theatre Venue: Gymnasium Review and interview By Rosa-Karoo Loewe “Changing your goals when your hometown is calling for you.” It’s a familiar story: a young man leaves his Eastern Cape hometown for the promise of Johannesburg. He returns years later, with a medical degree and a sense that those he left no longer see him as belonging. The rift between leaving and staying behind. Ganga Nyoko! Inzima Nyoko! — performed entirely in isiXhosa — was staged at the Victoria Girls’ High School Gymnasium as part of the National Arts Festival’s Fringe programme over the weekend. Directed…
By Nomfundo Mbatha and Rod Amner Around R400-million of taxpayers’ money has been spent since 2015 to increase the amount of water available to us from the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works (JKWTW) in the east, from 10-12 megalitres a day (ML/day) to 20 ML/day. Sadly – and outrageously – this won’t happen for at least another two years. This is despite the fact that JKWTW can now treat 20 ML/day and is connected to an unlimited supply of water from the Fish-Orange River water scheme. Why aren’t we getting 20 ML/day from the east? According to retired local engineer…
By Siyolise Fikizolo and Thandile Masinyana A R12.2 million contract to renovate and upgrade the Fingo Village Library has collapsed, postponing the estimated completion until at least June 2026. The library was closed about three years ago due to structural faults in the building. EC Department of Public Works and Infrastructure communication director Vuyani Nkasayi said the contract had to be terminated because the contractor “failed to stick to the terms of the contract”. “In realising the importance of the service of the structure to the community, the Department is busy finding a replacement contractor,” Nkasayi said. It is hoped the…
By Rod Amner The Auditor General’s 2023/24 report showed that the serially delinquent Makana Municipality is one of the seven worst-run municipalities in the country. Makana has now racked up six consecutive disclaimed audit opinions, placing it in the bottom 2.7% of the 257 municipalities in South Africa. A disclaimer audit opinion means that the AG could not find sufficient evidence for most of the information in the financial statements. Released on 28 May, the national AG report showed that Makana’s irregular expenditure for the 2023/24 financial year amounted to R359.2 million. ‘Active harm’ The AG concluded that Makana Municipality…