Author: Staff Reporter

As a pastor and a shepherd of people, I’ve noticed something becoming more and more prevalent in our society. More and more people are having, what I call, a crisis of faith. They find themselves amid problematic circumstances and or situations and they don’t know what to do about it. When this happens, people start asking questions like; “why doesn’t God answer my prayers?” or “why doesn’t God do something about my circumstance?” And when I sit down with them and we start talking about what it is that’s going on, I find that they have a wealth of knowledge…

Learners of Hendrik Kanise Combined School in Alicedale were over the moon when local hotel, Bushman Sands, part of the River Hotel Group, arrived at the school on Tuesday, 13 August, to treat them on a meal of soup and bread. Deputy Principal Candice Louw-Arnolds said the meal was a much-needed boost to learners’ energy levels during an extended school day. “Since the school has put in place an extra classes programme as part of a turn-around strategy to boost attainment levels of learners, we have noticed that most learners struggle to keep up with the extra hours of tuition…

The GBS Mountain Drive Half Marathon organisers are hoping to make the race as “green” as possible.  While there will be water sachets available at water tables, participants have been asked to bring their own cups or to use hydration packs to avoid the use the plastic sachets where possible.  The hope is that in five years, the race will be plastic free. The water sachets used by participants are usually discarded and even through they are cleared by race organisers, many of them flow into the bushes or end up in drains, adding to the plastic pollution problem.  Marathon…

Organisers have announced a slight change to the finish of this year’s GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon. This year, after descending at 19km from Cradock Heights, the route takes runners along Templeton Drive, past Graeme College, left into Withypool Road, into Graeme College and through the school grounds to the finish. In other words, from the start, runners exit via the Somerset Field (south-east) gate of the school and to reach the finish, enter via the Marais Field (south-west) gate. “The reason for the change in the last kilometre of the route was that athletes complained about them…

Aaron Samuel Mulenga’s Fine Arts Masters solo exhibition, Transcendence through flight, explores the relationship between Christianity and traditional African cultural and belief systems. Kamvelihle Netjies spoke to him after the 10 August opening at the Nun’s Chapel, Rhodes University. In the body of work for his exhibition, Mulenga looks at transcendence in flight as a common space between belief systems. “In Zambia, cultural practices allow people to fly, using spiritual objects which they have constructed,” Mulenga explains. “Some use horns, some use tortoise shells, human bones and other objects. “As a Christian, I’m comparing that with how Christians have flown…

A total of 250 learners from the Makhanda (Grahamstown) area gathered to showcase their innovative science and engineering investigations at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists regional science expo. The regional final was held at Rhodes University’s Great Hall which was filled with projects from 29 schools that participated, according to Regional Science Dair Director and Scifest Africa Manager, Pumza Tshebe. “Schools travelled from as far as Queenstown to partake in the event. Our youngest participants were grade 4 learners from Thembelihle Primary School in Queenstown. Their educator expressed great pride when they walked away with a prize during the…

STAFF REPORTER Several top national food brands will be available locally, for as little as half the price, after Foodeez opens here in Makhanda (Grahamstown) on Friday. The national franchise describes its outlets as ‘Grocery Factory Shops’ and already operates in three centres. The new shop in Hill Street, two doors up from the Post Office, will be South Africa’s 12th Foodeez outlet. The retail chain solves problems for the food and supporting industries, while addressing some environmental and socio-economic ones. Food wasteage across the world is estimated at around 30%. Here in South Africa, a CSIR study found that…

Flying Squad members have arrested two suspects for dealing in Mandrax on the N2 close to Kinkelbos, according to provincial spokesperson for the South African Police Service Colonel Sibongile Soci. “Police members spotted a suspicious silver Nissan Almera driving past them,” Soci said. “The members pulled the vehicle off the road and searched it. In the boot, 50 plastic bags containing 1500 mandrax tablets each were found.” Soci said a total of 77 500 mandrax tablets with an estimated street value of R5 million were confiscated. The 45-year-old male driver and his 26-year-old female passenger were arrested on charges of…

MEASURE FOR MEASURE – 2pm Royal Shakespeare Company Artistic Director: Gregory Doran When a young novice nun is compromised by a corrupt official, who offers to save her brother from execution in return for sex, she has no idea where to turn for help. When she threatens to expose him, he tells her that no one would believe her. Shakespeare wrote this play in the early 1600s, yet it remains astonishingly resonant today. ‘Excellent…a rolling mass of desire, repression and duplicity’ – FINANCIAL TIMES ‘Fresh, insightful…the RSC on flying form’ – MAIL ON SUNDAY Tickets are R75 for adults & R65…

Update Missing Person. After an intense two day investigation, the SAPS were alerted by members of the SANDF that the missing person was seen wandering in the veld of the military base. The police members took her back to the hospital for treatment and observation as she had injuries allegedly sustained during an epileptic fit whilst out in the veld. Her family have been notified of her whereabouts. ************************************************* Joza Police have asked members of the public for help in locating Ndileka Tshunungwa. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said Ndileka, who is 45 and lives in Lingelihle, Joza Extension 6,…