Author: Rod Amner

By ROD AMNER Rainfall for the week 18-24 November was measured at 24.8mm in Park Road, 20.2mm in Cathcart Street, and 18.4mm in Grant Street. Temperatures ranged from 10 to 26.5C. Robin Stobbs has measured 88.2mm so far for November, comfortably above the mean of 74mm. More good rain is forecast for Saturday 27 November, which may take us over the 100mm mark for the month. After emergency shutdowns at the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works earlier this month, the rains arrived in the nick of time to allow the municipality to resume pumping from Howieson’s Poort Dam to the Waainek…

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By ROD AMNER The crowds were small, held in check by Covid-19 protocols, but new life was breathed into our local democracy as an unprecedented number of opposition candidates and independents (13 in all) faced off against the African National Congress’s (ANC) 14 councillors at the Makana Council inauguration on Tuesday 23 November. Makana Citizens Front (MCF) councillors took to the floor for the first time to contest a point of procedure, and a young new mayor, Yandiswa Vara was sworn in, to ululations from the gallery. Makhandans are in desperate need of new ideas and fresh legs as we…

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By ROD AMNER Yandiswa Vara’s tenure as Makana mayor may be short-lived. Smiling South media reported that sources, including Vara herself, said her mayorship was temporary “until details of her swap with district councillor Nomhle Gaga could be finalized”. On Tuesday, Vara’s election as mayor at the new Makana Council’s inauguration in the Makhanda City Hall was a surprise as it contradicted a press release issued by the ANC Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi on Monday. The press release clearly stated that Nomhle Gaga would be Makana’s mayor. Gaga was removed as mayor in November 2018 by the ANC’s regional executive…

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By ROD AMNER The ANC deviated from its own script at the inauguration of the new Makana Council on Tuesday 23 November when its 14 councillors voted in Yandiswa Vara as Mayor of Makana. In a press release on Monday, ANC Provincial Secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said Nomhle Gaga would be Makana’s mayor. Instead, Vara, the popular former speaker, received the nod over Gaga, who was ejected from her mayoral seat in November 2018 by the ANC’s Sarah Baartman Region in November 2018. Regional Chairperson of the ANC Sarah Baartman region Scara Njadayi told Grocott’s that “anything relating to the changes on…

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By ROD AMNER The ANC’s Nomhle Gaga will be installed as Makana’s Executive Mayor after the new Council is inaugurated on Tuesday 23 November, three years after she was removed from her mayoral seat. The ANC’s Sarah Baartman Region removed Gaga from her mayoral seat in November 2018, replacing her with current Executive Mayor Mzukisi Mpahlwa. The new Speaker is Mabhuti Matyumza, who was replaced as Chief Whip by Ward 5 councillor Luyanda Nase in 2018. Former Speaker Yandiswa Vara has been appointed speaker for the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. ANC Eastern Cape Provincial Executive Committee convened on Friday, 19…

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By ROD AMNER The Makana Citizens Front’s (MCF) five proportional representation councillors will sacrifice a portion of their salaries to fund the appointment of ‘shadow councillors’. MCF interim convenor Lungile Mxube said each shadow councillor will receive a stipend of R8000 per month, paid by MCF. One MCF councillor is giving 100% of his salary to help fund the shadow councillor model, and the four others are contributing 50% of their Council salaries. The shadow councillors will “monitor municipal project implementation, take up community grievances, ensure ward councillors are accountable to their constituencies and communities, support development initiatives, and support…

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By JESSICA FELDTMAN From 1 April 2022, all Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres around South Africa will migrate from the Social Development Department to the Department of Education (DoE). The migration is to encourage more structured and standardised learning for children through a managed, CAPS-aligned curriculum. Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade says the shift will see about 2 556 ECD centres migrate to the Department of Education. “The shift will ensure adequate preparedness for every child that arrives in the primary schooling system,” she said. It aims to address poor grades, dropouts and the repeating of grades emanating from…

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By CHESLEY DANIELS Another exciting and entertaining cricket was on display this past weekend in the Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) leagues. We also witnessed some impressive team and individual performances, indicating that cricket is highly competitive and alive in our area. Salem 1st is still unbeaten and sits comfortably on top of the GCB 1st League standings, eight points clear of second-place Cuylerville. In the 2nd League, Station Hill leads the pack with nine points clear of arch-rivals Port Alfred. There were also brilliant individual performances with both bat and bowl. Charlie Muir (Cuylerville 1st – 119), Brandon Handley (Cuylerville…

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By MILANDA COETZER There is a perception that when you are a victim of crime – any crime – you need to go to the police station to get help. This is not true: the police must come to you. They must help you, the victim of crime. Victims’ rights are clearly defined in the Victim’s Charter. All government departments, community organisations and NGOs are required to assist victims of crime. So why is it so difficult for victims to feel empowered to report a crime – especially a sexual crime? Thanks to social media, everyone has an opinion about…

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