By ROD AMNER Slowly, incrementally, an army of more than 2000 young Makhandans – funded by the Government and managed by the National Arts Festival, the Assumption Development Centre, Awarenet and Assitej – is rejuvenating our city. The workers of the Social Employment Funds are clearing stormwater drains, fixing potholes, filling tens of thousands of rubbish bags, fixing schools, planting gardens, recycling waste and working for social change in a range of local nonprofit organisations. In the wake of the Great Depression, from 1933-1939, US President Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal public works programmes provided support to improve the lives…
Author: Rod Amner
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By ROD AMNER Makhandans responded with relief as the water supply stabilised this week – the first time in months. But, some high-lying areas – including the residential area in the 6SAI Battalion army base – are still high and dry. A resident at the army base told Grocott’s Mail on Wednesday that appeals from 6SAI’s leadership to the Makana Municipality had fallen on deaf ears. She said residents there had been without water for months. At the time of publication, Makana Municipality had not responded to Grocott’s Mail’s queries about the unavailability of water in the area. Makana Municipality…
By ROD AMNER A committee set up to ‘rationalise’ areas under the jurisdiction of South Africa’s high courts has recommended that the main seat of the Eastern Cape High Court, currently in Makhanda, be moved to Bhisho. Local lawyers have warned that this will limit the area of jurisdiction of the Makhanda division, drastically reducing the amount of work coming to our court. A similar proposal to move the main seat of the Eastern Cape High Court to Bhisho was made in 2009, but Makhanda waged a successful two-year battle against it. The campaign united the city with local government,…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA All roads led to Jawuka Hall in Port Alfred this past Saturday. Port Alfred-based Masibambisane Boxing club, under the guidance of Monwabisi Hans, celebrated their first anniversary with a boxing tournament. Kenton boxing club from Ndlambe Municipality, Masibambane BC, Mfuzo BC, Thembalethu BC and Golden Gloves BC, all from Makhanda, participated in the tournament. There were many exciting bouts from both male and female contests. There were morale-boosting incentives for all those who did well on the day in the form of trophies, medals and specially-made belts. According to one of the locally based officials, Bulelani Ndwayana,…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA The Makhanda football fraternity has been under a dark cloud following the death of another young and talented player, Luthando ‘Tower’ Booi, 26, tragically stabbed by his girlfriend. This came just a few days after another Vukani-based youngster Asivenathi Matika who played for Maru, was laid to rest. Booi, also known as Tilo in his Vukani community, started his football career at Coronation FC under the guidance of the late Bongani ‘Quiz’ Yose. In 2013 he joined Makana Pillars and made his mark as one of the most reliable centre-backs. In 2018 he moved to Grahamstown United…
Dear Editor, Serious questions must be asked of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, who has given notice of his intent to expand the geographic area of the Amatola Water Board to cover the entire Eastern Cape. Minister Mchunu published his intention in a government gazette earlier this week, calling for comments within the next 60 days. Download the gazette here. Appointing the Amatola Water Board to service the entire Eastern Cape will be a guaranteed administrative and operational recipe for disaster. The decision will decimate the revenue streams of municipalities that would fall under the Board, making them…
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today, we publish the full, devastating report by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee On Cooperative Governance And Traditional Affairs (COGTA) following its visit to Makana in September. The report said Makana Municipality was “a dysfunctional and toxic environment”, which was “a key root cause of Makana’s consecutive audit disclaimers”. Report lowlights The municipality’s consecutive disclaimed audit opinions are the worst possible, as the figures provided are inconsistent with the underlying records and vice-versa. The documentation justifying the adjustments made in the figures has not been provided. Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless and Wasteful (UIFW) expenditure has been increasing. Reporting on the Municipal…
By ROD AMNER and OVAYO MILISA NOVUKELA Police are investigating a case of attempted murder after Makana Municipality Parks and Recreation Department senior supervisor Wandile Duruwe was shot and wounded outside his home in Nompomdo Street, Joza, on Wednesday, 9 November. He is recovering in a hospital in Gqeberha. South African Police Service spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said on Wednesday, around 9.55 pm, Duruwe alleged that he was about to get into his vehicle when someone called him by name. “He further said that he turned to have a look at the person who was calling. He immediately saw…
By the FRIENDS of WATERS MEETING (FoWM) The many varied plants of the Albany Thicket enchanted British explorer and naturalist William Burchell when he travelled through this area in 1813 during his four-year, 7000km journey across Southern Africa in a custom-built ox wagon. “There was so much contrast here. He came across plants that were tough and thorny, like the intriguing Eastern Cape blue cycad (Encephalartos horridus), as well as beautiful blooms that were soft and delicate, such as the marsh lily (Crinum campanulatum). Both are now rare or endangered,” author Marion Whitehead told a packed gathering of the Friends…
By ROD AMNER At last – something to celebrate. Makana Municipality reported Makhanda’s reservoirs as 100% full on the morning of Sunday, 13 November – representing a total of almost 29 megalitres, considerably more than a day’s supply. Adding to the celebration, 32mm of rain was recorded over Friday and Saturday. Water was opened to all areas, but residents were encouraged to use the water sparingly “in consideration of fellow users and to prolong availability”. However, Makana’s Infrastructure director Asanda Gidana was informed that some areas had still not received supply by noon. In response, she said a team would…