Author: Staff Reporter

Soprano Golda Schultz will perform in Grahamstown on 13 April. The Rhodes Graduate, who has established herself as an international opera star, will also conduct a masterclass for young singers. Schultz has performed in the Metropolitan Opera house in New York, the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Carnegie Hall in New York and Wigmore Hall in London. She will also be give a masterclasses on Saturday 14 April from 10am to 4.30pm in the Beethoven Room at Rhodes University’s Department of Music and Musicology. Rhodes University voice students will participate and non-students are invited to enrol. Non-Rhodes students will pay a…

A group of learners from various FET Colleges who participated in an 18-month learnership programme in Makana Municipality were awarded competency certificates by the Director: Corporate and Shared Services, Nomthandazo Mazwayi and Portfolio Committee member Councillor Luyanda Nase, HR Manager Xolela Kalashe and Skills Development Officer Zola Kolisi. The learnership programme was funded by the Local Government Sectoral Training Authority. Photo supplied

Cluster Commander Brigadier David Kanuka says the police would provide whatever support was needed to the families of six people who died in an accident outside Grahamstown Monday morning. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said a case of culpable homicide was being investigated following the accident on the N2 outside Grahamstown. The vehicle, a silver Opel Zafira* with a trailer, appeared to have lost control on a sharp turn as it travelled in the direction of Port Elizabeth, Govender said. “There were eight occupants in the vehicle. Six people were fatally wounded (three children and three adult males),” Govender said. Two…

Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced a multi-million rand drought-relief package of which Makana Municipality is down to receive R810 000 for water infrastructure projects. Announcing the national government’s intervention of R434 million from the Disaster Grants administered by Cogta as immediate disaster relief funding over the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years, Mkhize said some R348.846 million would be transferred in the 2017/18 financial year and R84.678 million in the 2018/19 financial year. The Eastern Cape is set to receive R104.738 from the Municipal Disaster Grant. Of this, the seven local municipalities under Sarah…

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is expanding its operations at the Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth as part of a wide-ranging investment in its two South African plants, announced late last year. “We are delighted to confirm that, as part of the R3-billion investment announced in November 2017, we are expanding both the capability and capacity of the Struandale Engine Plant for our current and future engine programmes,” said Jacques Brent, President of Ford Middle East and Africa. “The investment includes the installation of a sophisticated new assembly line for an all-new diesel engine program that will,…

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) would like to advise motorists that there will be no stop-and-go sections on the R72 – Port Alfred and Great Fish River during the Easter weekend. Work on the rural section is in progress with the completion of new storm water culverts and the construction of the seaward side of the R72 from Port Alfred to the Fish River the most prominent. Ancillary work like the concrete side drains and other minor storm water structures has started. “This upgrade includes the construction of two 3.7m driving lanes, with auxiliary (climbing) lanes,…

Duo Etnopolis  Grahamstown Music Society, 22 March 2018 National English Literary Museum Auditorium Luca Ciarla (violin), Nino de Luca (accordion) By JOHN JACKSON It is heartening when excellent performers enjoy the experience of playing in the National Arts Festival enough to want to return.  Italian virtuoso violinist Luca Ciarla played to great acclaim in the 2011 and 2014 Festivals and was happy to come back as a contributor to the Grahamstown Music Society’s 2018 concert season. This time he brought with him his compatriot Nino de Luca, who is one of the world’s finest accordion players. Before Thursday’s concert I…

Midlands’ lucky eight: Photo: Supplied  Eastcape Midlands TVET College (EMC) has been identified as one of 15 that would send eight students to China on a year-long international training and internship programme in Energy and Water; as well as  Sanitation. The programme is supported by the Chinese Culture & International Education Exchange Centre together with EWSETA and its main purpose is to create opportunities for the students to gain work experience through integration in a real work learning methodology that is utilised by the top 500 Chinese companies. The programme also aims to promote investment opportunities and support job creation…

The Grahamstown Stock Theft Unit recovered 13 cattle yesterday Monday 26 March after a police officer was tipped off that a truck in Peddie was loading stolen cattle, South African Police Service spokesperson Captain Khaya Thonjeni  said. The officer, a constable in the child protection unit, stopped the truck as well as the bakkie escorting it. The bakkie driver was the buyer of the stolen cattle. “Members of the Grahamstown Stock Theft Unit were alerted and responded,” Thonjeni said. “Thirteen cattle were recovered, of which nine have already been positively identified.” Four men and a woman aged between 37 and 57,…

The Eastern Cape’s Department of Roads and Public Works has undertaken to repair dangerous potholes on the R67 between Grahamstown and Stones Hill, according to Chief Traffic Officer and acting manager of social services in Makana Municipality, Coenraad Hanekom. This comes after a vehicle overturned after the driver tried to avoid a large pothole in wet and misty conditions early last Friday. Hanekom said the driver lost control of the vehicle and that no injuries were reported. The incident and subsequent repairs follow long-running concern about the hazardous section by residents who commute on the route daily. Suzanne Wille, who…