Author: Rod Amner

By CHRIS TOTOBELA, Grocott’s Mail sports reporter The 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar has been unkind to the African teams. Only Morocco has managed to make it to the last eight of the five representatives. Despite beating in-form Brazil, Cameroon failed to make it out of the group stages. Tunisia had the better of the defending champions, France, with a narrow one-nil victory but also was unable to make it to the last 16. Ghana’s captain Andrew Ayew squandered a perfect opportunity to put the Black Stars ahead in the opening minutes of their clash against Luis Saurez’s Uraguay…

By CHRIS TOTOBELA Makhanda’s boxing hero, Mzoxolo ‘Black Tiger’ Ndwayana, is hard at training and preparing for his last fight of the year. Ndwayana will exchange leather with Ugandan Nicholas Jooga over eight rounds in an international Welterweight bout at the Uitenhage (Kariega) Indoor Sports Centre on 18 December. The inexperienced Jooga comes to this fight with only six bouts under his belt, winning three and losing three, while Ndwayana comes with a wealth of experience with 29 contests, 21 wins, six losses and two draws. Ndwayana’s father and trainer, Bulelani, said they would not take anything for granted. “We…

By CHRIS TOTOBELA Makana LFA closed the season with an Under-18 soccer tournament at JD Dlepu stadium last weekend. There were some tense closely-contested encounters. It was eventually down to two teams for the Sunday final. Usual suspects Sophia Stars took on Young Eagles in a much anticipated final that kicked off at 3 pm. Football fans braved the Sunday chilly weather to witness the clash of the top two Junior sides, who did not disappoint. Both teams gave as much as they got in this thrill-a-minute encounter, but the Young Eagles got the better of Sophia, tossing them aside…

By ROD AMNER Rhodes University will appeal the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) ruling that found the dismissal of two of its two employees “procedurally and substantively unfair”. The university has six weeks to file a review application to the labour court to challenge the CCMA’s decision. David Drennan, the former chief technical officer of the Rhodes Department of Zoology and Entomology, and Heidi Myburgh, a former secretary in the Rhodes Department of Computer Science, refused to comply with the university’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate policy. The CCMA awarded them R256 445 and R146 484, respectively, as compensation for…

By ROXANNE PIDERIT The Piderit Highland Dance Studio has had a very successful year, with dancers achieving numerous awards at local and national competitions. This culminated in the dancers returning from the South African Highland Dancing Championships with seven trophies. They also won the Coral Trophy for winning the studio competition at the championships. We have dancers from East London, Grahamstown and Port Elizabeth. The dancers will be performing in Celtic Calling this weekend to raise funds towards next year’s South African Championships. The Makhanda show will be held at 3 pm at the Princess Alice hall on Sunday, 4 December.…

By ROD AMNER Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do. Psalm 1:1-6 Last week, Archbishop Nkosinathi Ngesi of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church of Southern Africa, and prominent member of the Makhanda Legends, quoted…

By ROD AMNER The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has ruled that Rhodes University’s dismissal of two employees for refusing to comply with its university’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate policy was “procedurally and substantively unfair”. David Drennan, the former chief technical officer of the Rhodes Department of Zoology and Entomology, and Heidi Myburgh, a former secretary in the Rhodes Department of Computer Science, were awarded seven and nine months’ salary, respectively, as compensation. CCMA Commissioner Francois du Toit ruled the dismissals were unfair because: the university failed to notify the employees of their constitutional right to refuse the vaccination…

Jim Cambray reported 19.1mm of rain at Park Road for 24 to 30 November, while Paul Maylam recorded 14.1mm in Cathcart Street. “One nice thunderstorm delivered 16mm of the 19.1mm total,” Cambray said. Total rainfall for November was a disappointing 64.6mm, once again well below the long-term average of 81.5 mm but close to the median of 66.2mm. “Hopefully, a few good thunderstorms in December will bring the rains we need,” Cambray added. Temperatures for the week ranged from 14 degrees Celcius to 36C – summer has arrived!

By CHARLIE SHACKLETON, ANDREW FAULL, GREGORY BREETZKE, IAN EDELSTEIN and ZANDER VENTER South Africa’s population is urbanising at a rapid pace. The sheer rate of change poses challenges to planning sustainable and liveable cities. Part of what makes cities work is having green spaces, such as parks, sports fields, nature trails and street trees. These provide many social, ecological and economic benefits. Research from multiple countries such as Australia, China, Finland, India, the US and South Africa has shown this. Aside from looking good and providing recreation, urban green spaces improve air quality and physical and mental health and regulate stormwater flows. They counteract…

The Rhodes School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) wrapped up its 50th-anniversary celebrations and awards last week. JMS awarded the final 24 of its 50 most illustrious graduates over three celebrations hosted at The Wanderers Club in Johannesburg. The three functions comprised a legacy luncheon and two dinners on Friday and Saturday nights. Other alumni were previously awarded during the Rhodes University April graduation in Cape Town and Durban, with overseas alumni awarded virtually. Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, said: “As we celebrate our alumni who have served the profession of journalism with great distinction, we must appreciate…