Author: Staff Reporter

Launching for the first time in South Africa on 18 July at Brandvlei Prison in the Western Cape, is the Prison-to-College Pipeline-SA (P2CP), one of the secondary beneficiaries of funds being raised through two auctions taking place at Liliesleaf and on Robben Island as part of a series of events being organised by the CEO SleepOut™ Movement. Beneficiaries of The SleepOut™ Movement Events are selected for their tireless work within the 5 pillars required to alleviate homelessness and integrate vulnerable communities back into society, viz. Shelter; Healthcare; Nutrition; Education; and Community Upliftment. Taking place during July this year The Nelson…

On 11 May 2018, the Legal Resources Centre, representing the residents of Mmangweni, a rural village in the Eastern Cape, filed an application in the Mthatha High Court against the OR Tambo District Municipality and other government actors, seeking a court order requiring the Municipality to urgently deliver clean water to Mmangweni. The residents are in desperate need of water. Since becoming the Water Services Authority in 2003, the District Municipality has never supplied Mmangweni with water. The water that residents currently drink and bathe with seeps from the ground near an open space where livestock also drink and defecate.…

A staged reading of Tony Jackman’s new play, MEIN CAMP: The Audacious Struggle of Le Clerq Goldberg, will be held at Karoo Brew in Cradock during the annual Karoo Writers’ Festival on Friday 20 July at 7.30pm.  This one-actor play is a piece of cabaret theatre in the tradition of the Weimar Republic-era Kabarett of the late 1920s and early 1930s – camp, audacious, and politically irreverent.  Celebrated Joburg-based theatremaker J Bobs Tshabalala is dramaturge and producer for the play reading, promising “all the things the play would have, only read. Costume. Lights. Props. A presentation towards a full production”. MEIN CAMP will be read/performed by actor…

One person died and five were critically injured in a motor accident that occurred on the N2 between Grahamstown and PE near the 1820 Settlers Monument on 30 June. In the the head-on collision a vehicle travelling from Peddie turned right into oncoming traffic and was hit by another going in the opposition direction. The wounded were taken by paramedics to Settlers’ Hospital. – Staff reporter

The 12th National Grahamstown Music Competition 2018, hosted by the Department of Music and Musicology Rhodes University from 21-23 June 2018, was an inspiring three days of exciting music-making. Taking place annually the weekend before the National Arts Festival, the Competition always leaves audience members, teachers and young performers with the happy impression that South African youngsters have musical talent beyond measure. This year’s competition was no exception, with our young performers once again displaying astonishing musical prowess on the Beethoven Room’s stage. Adjudicators Lwazi Mkula (VP teacher) and Tessa Rhoodie (University of Pretoria senior lecturer) had the difficult task…

Thirty one learners recently successfully completed the three and half days of training in Asset-based Community-driven Development. The course was facilitated by Nomaxabiso Fani, Sanelisa Mtwalo and Anne Loeffler from Raphael Centre. Nombulelo High School provided their facilities and their intern teacher, Siviwe Ngcingci, assisted with logistics and organising. The course built upon the introductory sessions the Raphael Centre held with local High Schools during ’Trading live for Mandela week’ in July last year. This was the first time for us to facilitate the full 3.5 days course with High School youth. Also, it was special to us to be…

By Chris Mann Twenty-four years after making a widely reported hate speech at a political meeting in Rwanda, a prominent Hutu leader was extradited from Canada and sentenced to life-imprisonment by a Rwandan court for inciting genocide. Leon Mugusera described Tutsis as cockroaches, invaders from the north, collaborators with colonialism and recommended cutting their throats. The Hutu, in contrast, were portrayed as innocent victims of Tutsi conquest centuries ago. Rwanda and South Africa are very different countries, but as next year’s elections approach, it is disturbing to observe political leaders using the same type of rhetoric as Mugusera. How would…

From tiny crystal structures to star-shaped nerve cells, come and delve beyond the usual and be inspired by the beauty of science. Take a journey with us as we explore art and science in this photographic exhibition of the exquisite and often unseen world of scientific endeavour. Like artists driven by curiosity a desire to understand the world around us make life better scientists are creative people, requiring artistry within their explorations. Through their work, they are often also exposed to beauty not seen by those outside their discipline. The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement’s SA Science…

An inquest docket has been opened for investigation following the discovery of suspected human skeletal remains at a game farm outside Port Alfred. Spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said the South African Police Service was alerted to the discovery at around 7pm Tuesday 3 July. “Due to poor light, the scene could not be processed,” Govender said. “[Wednesday] morning, investigators and specialists combed the scene and managed to retrieve remains which were taken by the Department of Health to conduct forensic testing.” Govender said a rifle and an axe were found at the scene. “Investigation continues and at this stage we…

A 72-year-old man died in a fire in Grahamstown on Wednesday 4 July. This was one of two house fires that the Makana Fire Services were called to in the space of 30 minutes. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said the fire in Yeoman Street, off Currie Street, on Wednesday morning, had gutted the top floor of the house. “When police arrived on the scene, they found a double-story building on fire,” Govender said. During the investigation police found a 72-year-old man had died in the flames. “His son escaped the flames. The upper story of the house was completely…