Author: Sue Maclennan

“Hy maak seer!” St Mary’s Primary School teacher Charmell Williams was relieved to get her Covid-19 jab on Thursday. But… yes it was a bit sore. There were grimacing smiles at Makhanda’s vaccination site this week as many teachers expressed relief they were finally getting their shots – but confessed to being just a little scared of injections. “It’s burning a little bit,” said Patricia Bingham, who also teaches at St Mary’s. “But it is such a relief to finally get vaccinated. It’s such a worry. It’s very stressful being a teacher when there is Coronavirus.” Principals, staff and education…

A letter to Premier Oscar Mabuyane warning that the town may be about to cross a “precipice of chaos” and pleading for his personal intervention has received no response from the Premier’s office, a week after it was sent. The plea from the Makhanda Circle of Unity – a solutions focused civil society forum  – is their second bid for Mabuyane to step in to resolve the crisis. The MCU appealed to the Premier after a group of protesters in taxis intimidated residents and attempts were made to set fire to two municipal buildings during the first citywide shutdown a…

A fire that burned its way through the valley between the Monument and Rhodes University’s newer hill-top residences on Monday 21 June is completely extinguished, Makana Fire Services Manager William Welkom confirmed on Thursday. On the west side of the valley, the disused quarry behind Rhodes University’s Chris Hani House and the Continuing Education Centre in Makhanda was still smouldering a little, however. There was no damage to any property or infrastructure and no injuries were reported. The Makana Fire Service has been on high alert in this week’s warm, dry and windy conditions. Teams from Makana and Sarah Baartman…

Local municipal workers will support a national strike, should that be the vote of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU). This confirmation comes after the union this week said it is concluding national balloting for a potential strike in the sector. Deputy General Secretary Dumisane Magagula said the union rejected the Facilitator’s Proposal – a document drawn up after employer-employee negotiations that is meant to identify areas of consensus. Wage negotiations for workers in municipalities are negotiated at a national level in the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. This year, Labour is being represented by two trade unions at the…

Makana Municipality’s interdict against the Unemployed People’s Movement and its leader Ayanda Kota was withdrawn this morning. The urgent interim order granted on Friday 18 June 2021 interdicted Kota, a “Mxube Ngcobo”, the UPM and unspecified people named as the Fourth Respondent. On Wednesday 23 June, in the Grahamstown High Court, Judge Nomathamsanqa Beshe ruled the interdict to have been discharged. Actions listed in the application to be prohibited included gathering in groups in breach of lockdown regulations, preventing free movement to Makhanda by members of the public, preventing businesses from operating, barricading roads, intimidating Makana employees, officials or councillors,…

Fire fighters are monitoring a small fire at the disused quarry behind Rhodes University’s Chris Hani House and the Continuing Education Centre in Makhanda. At the moment the team is confident they are able to contain the fire which began burning around 9am today. Fire Chief William Welkom says the Makana Fire Service is on high alert in today’s warm, dry and windy conditions. Teams from Makana and Sarah Baartman Fire Services, Rhodes University and the Monument, local security companies and several citizen volunteers battled a blaze that started in the valley between the Monument and the newer hill-top residences…

Vaccination of all teachers, administrative and support staff at public schools will begin in Makhanda on Wednesday 23 June, the Department of Health has confirmed. They are among half a million education sector staff nationally to be vaccinated within the next two weeks. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says while the Department is sensitive to concerns raised about rising infections, they believe schools should remain open. All Department of Education staff on the PERSAL system, as well as school governing body appointed staff will be vaccinated with the J&J vaccine in a blitz that ends on 8 July. PERSAL is…

Makhi Mka is a very busy man this week – and a worried one. The Winter Initiation Season started on 11 June and ends on 30 July 2021 and Makhanda’s first winter season candidates for ulwaluko will be going to the bush this Saturday. Mka is the Department of Health’s designated medical officer for traditional initiation schools in Makana and Ndlambe and has been inspecting the sites in both areas. In Makhanda, there are six initiation “boundaries” – all on the eastern commonages. Three are south of the R67 that passes Joza on the way to the N2 and three…

BREAKING 3 In a meeting with protesters at Fingo Square this morning, Ayanda Kota: *Appealed to the crowd not to do anything to undermine a legal opposition to the interdict, warning that such action would put pressure on the police to act. *Announced that the Makana Citizens Front was being registered with IEC as a vehicle for community candidates. *Said the shutdown is suspended. (Source: Philip Machanick, confirmed by Ayanda Kota)  BREAKING 2 Ayanda Kota has confirmed that he will oppose the interdict (Source: Ayanda Kota) BREAKING 1 Makana Municipality and the Makana Council have applied for an interdict against…

It’s work and school as usual on Thursday 17 June, say protest movement organisers. This is despite a flurry of social media posts urging a shutdown tomorrow. The local taxi industry will meet early tomorrow to decide on a course of action following the visit to Makhanda Tuesday 15 June by a delegation led by MEC for Cooperative Governance Xolile Nqatha. A change of  venue for Nqatha’s engagement with stakeholder representatives and his refusal to address them directly did not go down well with protesters gathered outside the city hall. Posts on social media tonight suggested there should be a taxi…