Author: Sue Maclennan

Around 50 enthusiastic runners lined up at the Miki Yili Stadium start of the Joza Fun Run on Saturday 14 September. Hosted jointly by the Joza Karate Club and Mfuzo Boxing Camp, the organisation was excellent, with foolproof marshalling (a friendly face at every kilometre), water points and medals. While Lubabalo Bokuva led for the first part of the 5km course, it was Junior Mungwera who bided his time, only to shoot ahead and back into the stadium in a blistering 15 minutes. Third male in was Siphosethu Kalase. The top female places were Precious Nenguvuela, Slindokuhle Macwili and Nomakholwa…

If you’re planning to undergo initiation in the December holidays, you must visit your local clinic now – during the September break – the Department of Health says Omiselwe ulwaluko – those who intend undergoing initiation this summer season – must check into their local clinic this September school holiday for a complete health check. This is a new rule introduced by the Eastern Cape Department of Health. It’s an extra measure to ensure that boys admitted to initiation schools in the Province have been treated for health problems that could otherwise put their safety at risk. Initiation co-ordinator for…

This weekend leading up to Heritage Day, Makhanda residents are spoiled for choice when it comes to sporting and cultural activities and just general fun stuff to do or watch. And while there’s welcome rain on the way, don’t let it put you off your Saturday plans – it’s likely to arrive only on Sunday. Plays, storytelling and poetry with food, tea and coffee and treats plus a vibrant crafts market are yours this Saturday morning, 21 September, from 9am to 2pm at the Amazwi Heritage Carnival 2019. The venue is the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature (formerly NELM). While you’re there, wander…

Justice Igna Stretch reserved judgment in the long-awaited showdown between the Unemployed People’s Movement and Makana Municipality in the High Court in Makhanda on Thursday 12 September. In three intense and tightly managed sessions on one day, with only two short breaks, the Judge heard arguments on the Unemployed People’s Movement’s application for the Makana Council to be dissolved and for the municipality to be put under full administration. Lawyers for the UPM, Wheeldon, Rushmere & Cole, in February 2019 filed papers on their behalf in the High Court in Makhanda calling for the dissolution of the Council and the…

Makhanda athletes Terri-Lynn Penney and Jene Banfield faced high temperatures and strong winds at the Athletics South Africa 2019 Cross Country Championships in Centurion, Gauteng, last weekend. Each did 4km races in two categories. Penney competed in the veterans 40-44 and – for the team prize – the Senior Women’s 4km. “It was a great honour racing with and against ladies 20 years younger than me,” Penney said. It was a day of contrasts – cold in the morning, then hot with wind later, but Penney managed to post a season’s best at altitude, with 16:56 for the first 4km race…

The Makhanda education community has reacted with dismay to the announcement that Nombulelo Secondary Principal Nicci Hayes has resigned. However, although an education expert has described her resignation as “devastating”, Hayes has spoken positively about the future of the school. A reliable source has emphasised that her resignation is unconnected with last week’s events at the Joza school. Spokesperson for the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape Mali Mtima confirmed they had received Hayes’s resignation. “The resignation cited a breakdown in employer/employee relations,” Mtima said. “We will receive more information from the exit interview.” Learners reportedly cried when Hayes…

Relatives on Monday 9 September said a Makhanda (Grahamstown) school pupil who yesterday posted on Facebook that she’d been kidnapped had been found. Police this morning confirmed this. Concern and speculation followed a post on Facebook on Sunday 8 September  after the 15-year-old, who lives in Joza, posted a detailed and disturbing account. According to a post on the child’s Facebook page, while she was on her way to the shop, a silver-grey Avanza with no number plates had stopped next to her. The driver, an African female with two other African males who had a Zulu accent had asked…

Winter rainfall this year in Makhanda (Grahamstown) is well below average, according to local records. Robin Stobbs, one of the “pluviometry” team that shares weekly rainfall figures from four locations in Makhanda (Grahamstown) with Grocott’s Mail readers, measured a paltry 0.3mm last month. July 2019 was more generous, with 14.3mm and June saw 9.10mm. Yet the total of 23.7mm measured over June, July and August 2019 is not the lowest measured over the 44 years and eight months that Robin Stobbs, who lives in the Oatlands area, has been keeping records. In 2000, the total for the three winter months…

Up until this Monday morning, the mother of murdered University of Cape Town (UCT) student Uyinene Mrwetyana had no doubt her daughter would still return. “The Mrwetyana family are devastated,” said Colleen Vassiliou, Head of Kingswood College, during a service in the school’s chapel on Monday night for ‘Nene’, who matriculated in Makhanda (Grahamstown) last year. “We mourn a young life taken from us too soon.” Meanwhile Rhodes University, where Nene’s mother works, has condemned her violent death and is setting up a fund to support the family during this time. An intensive search by friends, family, police and private…

With the day building up to a midday high of 32C on Saturday 24 August, it was just as well that organisers of the 2019 edition of the GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon had laid on an extra water table. Bulelani Niwa from Ikhamva Athletics Club was the winner. Second and third overall were former Two Oceans winner George Ntshiliza and Anele Maliza, both from Nedbank Running Club. Ntshiliza was King of the Mountain. Local runners Terri-Lynn Penney and Claire McCann placed second and third in the women’s race, with Terray…