By DEBBIE SMUTS Last Wednesday, the two Rotary Clubs in Makhanda partnered with the local Department of Health to provide a Wellness Day for the Salem community. Eye testing: optometrist Jenny Gopal volunteered to do the eye testing, assisted by Rotarian Jane Bradshaw. Photo: Supplied Held at the Salem Sports Club, the event consisted of a few stations set up by Department of Health staff offering various services, including blood pressure/TB/HIV/diabetes screening, immunisations for children, cervical cancer screening, nutritional assessment, and growth monitoring, family planning and pregnancy screening, Vitamin A supplementation and deworming, Covid vaccinations and eye testing. Optometrist…
Author: Sive Faith Ginya
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By SIVE FAITH GINYA Photos of an innocent primary school play-act celebrating abakhwetha (Xhosa initiates) and amakrwala (young men returning from initiation school) for Heritage Day have divided opinion on social media. St Mary’s Primary School principal Gerard Jacobs said his multicultural school had asked the children to showcase their rich cultural practices and customs through performance. All decisions regarding the event involved staff, parents and the community. The school would never force inappropriate ideas on the children, he said. But, when photographs of the event appeared on the Facebook page of Cape Town-based publisher, Ezitshisayo, debates on the appropriateness…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA A level 4 gymnast, Siyolise Baxana, 13, and her parents are appealing to Makhandans to help them raise funds for her upcoming trip to the National Rhythmic Gymnastics Games in Tshwane from 30 September to 4 October. Baxana will represent the Eastern Cape at the games, but the family said they needed assistance with accommodation, food, transport, and the required team tracksuit. Siyolise Baxana in action. Photo: Supplied Baxana is a passionate, medal-winning member of the Grahamstown Rhythmic Gymnastics. She is a Grade 7 learner at Victoria Primary School, where she also plays netball. Four of…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA Thabo J Custom Designs will open an interior design showroom alongside an African cuisine restaurant, Moonks Kitchen, on High Street on 23 September. Makhanda-born Thabo January owns the interior design and furniture company – and his sister will manage the restaurant. The company specializes in interior design and has worked with many clients, such as Infinity, Mi-Casa, and Stenden University in Port Alfred. Three-seater couch made by Thabo J Custom Designs. Photo: Supplied The grand opening Thabo J will exhibit some of his work at the grand opening. Coffee table made by Thabo J Custom Designs.…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA and ZIMKITA LINYANA The Monument was again abuzz with crowds flocking to Scifest Africa from schools across the Eastern Cape – including Cathcart, Idutywa, Port St Johns and Mthatha – but also from further reaches of the country and planet. School learners engaging the exhibitors at the monument Photo: Sive Faith Ginya A member from Mintek, South Africa’s national mineral research organisation, educates school kids about mineral processing and related areas. Photo: Sive Faith Ginya Learners enjoy the engagement. Photo: Sive Faith Ginya The Monument is colourfully saturated with exhibitions by various contributors from science institutes…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA Makhanda athlete Thembinkosi Madyogolo, famously known as ‘Teabag’, came back bearing an eighth silver medal from the Comrades Marathon. This year was his twelfth Comrades and his eighth medal placing. His dream is to complete 20 races. “I am left with eight years to reach my dream,” Madyogolo said. Thembinkosi ‘Teabag’ Madyogolo. Photo: Likhapha Thaathaa Among the five Makhanda athletes who participated in this year’s race, Madyogolo was the first to cross the finish line. He clocked 7 hours 30 minutes. He first participated in the Comrades between 2005 and 2007 when the late Eric Mampara…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA A new mega Makana Music Festival is being prepared for launch at the JD Dlepu Stadium on 17 December. Although entertainment is the festival’s main aim, economic development, job creation and local talent development are also top priorities. Siyabulela Ivy Madyo, the director of Lutifusion Pty Ltd, said it was hoped the festival would generate more than 100 jobs. Vacancies for bartenders, electricians, cleaners, decorators, ushers, promoters, designers, and sound engineers will be advertised. “We will only rent outside services when local businesses cannot provide those services to us,” Madyo said. Local entrepreneurs will also be…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA The Salem community, 20 km from Makhanda celebrated Women’s Day in style. Attendees wore ‘imibhaco’, the Xhosa traditional attire symbolizing identity and pride in heritage and womanhood. Salem women listen to the speeches. Photo: Likhapha Thaathaa One of the speakers was Nomzi Nomfuneko Komani, part of a group of six self-employed women who cut aloe and stock its juice in 20-litre buckets for sale to a client in Makhanda. Pensioner Lindeka Mtya is the initiator and the mentor of the Salem aloe business. She said she learnt about this business at her home in Peddie, where…
By SIVE FAITH GINYA The three-star Mansfield Private Reserve on the Kowie River 11km outside Port Alfred hosted an open day after its refurbishment on 21 July. River Hotels director Justin Bester and marketing manager Crystal Bester, together with the new Mansfield managers, Werner and Nicole Erasmus, took visitors on a tour around the reserve. Mansfield sports a kids’ play area, and activities include game drives, hiking, canoe hire, fishing, birding, and swimming. A curious giraffe at Mansfield Private Reserve. Photo: Atang Matiea Impalas are part Mansfield family. Photo: Atang Matiea Werner Erasmus said the refurbished accommodation appealed to a…
By ESTE COETZEE Nombulelo Secondary School’s Interact Club recently joined forces with the Flourish Foundation from the USA to upgrade the playground of the Riebeek East Combined School’s foundation phase. Colourful swings on the playground. Photo: Este Coetzee Denzil Smith and his colleagues erected tailor-made swings – and the little ones joined in. This included making a tyre structure painted with bright colors for the kids to develop their balance and big muscles. They also used tires to make a vegetable garden blooming with green vegetables. During this process the school’s staircase also got a facelift. The flourishing vegetable garden.…