Local school children will benefit from a R5 000 donation from the Grahamstown Film Club to Amazwi South African Museum of Literature, formerly the National English Literary Museum. The recent donation to Amazwi, said the Club’s Belinda Tudge, was in recognition of the film club’s use of the state of the art theatre at Amazwi for their 10 annual film showings. “This facility is a wonderful addition to Makhanda’s theatre venues,” Tudge said. As with previous donations, this money would be put towards the museum’s Education and Public Programmes. The Programmes Manager, Zongezile Matshoba, outlined plans to host a week in early December…
Author: Staff Reporter
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Eskom says the power grid is constrained this week and the power utility is using emergency resources to keep the power on. Although additional technical problems could topple the country into loadshedding, this was unlikely, Eskom said in a media release on 5 November 2019. In their statement this afternoon, Eskom said, “Since the past weekend, plant performance has deteriorated with unplanned breakdowns reaching a high of 12 500 MW before reducing to approximately 11 500 MW as at 10am today. Eskom is currently using emergency resources, being diesel and pumped water storage to keep the lights on.” They expected several units…
The Electoral Commission has written to both leadership groups within the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) advising them of its intention to await the outcome of ongoing court cases before recognising either faction as the rightful leadership of the party. The party has split into two factions – one aligned to Narius Moloto and the other to Mzwanele Nyhontso. In a letter issued 5 November to the party by the IEC’s lawyers, the Commission said the renewed leadership dispute and litigation had made it impossible for it to determine the rightful leadership. “It is clear that there is still a raging leadership…
The Eastern Cape Police Choir (ECPC) has once again proved itself that it is not just a choir, but one of the best choirs in the country. They recently participated in the prestigious 42-year-old Old Mutual Choir festival on 26 October. This prestigious competition had two categories – accompanied and unaccompanied. The choir performed God of Light, by Hayden, and Amandla omthandazo by Christian Thanduxolo Ngqobe. The ECPC won the accompanied section and were runners up in the unaccompanied. Conductor, Sergeant Kholekile Nonkeuse, said, “The competition was very tough, stiff and technical, but on the same vein it was a…
Addo Elephant National Park’s K9 Unit is now equipped with an obstacle course to keep them in top form all year round, thanks to generous donations from local business owners in Port Elizabeth and with the assistance of the Park’s Honorary Rangers. Obstacle courses have been proven to help reinforce basic obedience commands, improve dog/owner communication and ultimately help to improve dogs’ behaviour outside of the agility course. Addo’s K9 unit is made up of four dogs – deployed throughout the Park’s various sections. The obstacle course will ensure that both the dogs and their handlers remain fit and strong…
When Mathabo Tlali dropped out of Rhodes University six years ago, she never expected that she would have the courage to go back to university. This was after she failed her final year twice for her Bachelor of Arts in drama and sociology and was academically excluded. But, that’s history. Tlali is back on campus to finish her three year degree. It is thanks to her high school friend Sihle Nontshokweni, the co-author of their newly published book called Wanda. King William’s Town based Tlali was battling to cope with severe depression after dropping out of Rhodes University for more…
Dear residents It is common knowledge that the area around the Queen Street taxi rank towards Shoprite precinct is notorious for unacceptable high levels of littering and crime. Last week the office of the Executive Mayor convened a meeting of shopkeepers and residents of this area to get suggestions from them on how to keep their area clean and reduce crime in the precinct Ninety five notices for the 5.30pm meeting were hand delivered to shop owners, tenants and residents and around 30 people attended, along with a large contingent from the Grahamstown Police Station led by Station Commander Colonel Mbulelo Pika.…
One of the most exciting ecotourism developments in the Eastern Cape – Amakhala Game Reserve – celebrates 20 years of Conservation and Community this month. The reserve is a unique collaborative venture founded by four farming families that have lived in the area since the early 1800s, who joined their farms into a single 8 500-hectare game reserve in 1999. Following a remarkable 20-year transformation, Amakhala now thrives as an example of how agricultural land can be successfully converted into a cooperative ecotourism venture that protects wildlife and uplifts the surrounding community. Big 5 safari destination Amakhala guests enjoy unforgettable,…
The St Andrew’s College Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2020 is Diocesan School for Girls alumna Emma Dreyer. Dreyer achieved a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (with Distinction) in 2018 at the University of Cape Town, and is currently completing her community service at Ngwelezana Hospital, a rural hospital near Empangeni in KwaZulu Natal. She intends to read for two Masters degrees at Oxford, the first an MSc Education (Child Development and Education) and then an MSc Evidence-based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation. Dreyer was Deputy Head Girl of DSG, Head of Espin House and Vice-Captain of both Netball and Dance.…
A first-of-its-kind meeting aimed at making provincial parliaments more inclusive and transparent saw the Speaker of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Helen Sauls-August, meet face to face with civil society organisations on Tuesday 15 October. Sauls-August was participating in Putting the People in the People’s Parliament – a project hosted by a collective of organisations. Representatives of the Legislature, Chapter 9 institutions, other civil society organisations and researchers met in a three-day round-table dialogue at a venue in King William’s Town that explored their complementary roles in improving the accountable governance of public services. “Legislatures are a critical space to ensure direction and oversight over…