Author: Sue Maclennan

The chip of paint that in November last year further delayed the high-profile Ndlovu rhino-poaching trial made its appearance in the in the High Court in Makhanda (Grahamstown) Monday 28 January, along with the saw that it came off and the expert who matched the two. Jabulani Ndlovu, Forget Ndlovu and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, are finally standing trial on rhino poaching charges. They were arrested at Makana Resort outside Makhanda in June 2016. Seized from their chalet were a freshly cut rhino horn along with tranquilliser, a dart gun, a saw and a knife. They were apprehended as part of the…

Mzukisi Mpahlwa was voted in as Makana Municipality’s Executive Mayor during a special council meeting in the City Hall on Friday 19 January. Outside, Member of Parliament Phumzile van Damme lent muscle to a DA bolstered by MPL and Frontier Constituency Leader Jane Cowley as they visited Makhanda’s (Grahamstown’s) dwindling water supply. In 1995, Mpahlwa was the first Mayor under the transitional local council and has most recently served as special adviser to Nelson Mandela Municipality Chief Whip Bicks Ndoni. A vote by the 17 ANC councillors and six DA councillors present went on party lines: Mpahlwa received 17 votes…

The South African Police Service have issued a request for the public to assist in tracing these two Makhanda (Grahamstown) people who are missing: SEBENZILE MICHAEL KUME (70) was last seen by his neighbour on 28 November 2018 leaving his home in Extension 10, Grahamstown. He was on his way to his girlfriend but never arrived at her house in Hlalani location, Grahamstown. He has not made any contact with his family since then. MBULELO BUDAZA (24) was last seen by his aunt on 21 December 2018. He was walking in Ncame Street Joza. On the day of his disappearance…

After a recent second recent high-powered DA visit to Makhanda (Grahamstown) focusing on sanitation, Eastern Cape Premier Candidate Nqaba Bhanga described as inhumane the fact that residents in N Street use the bucket system. The delegation accompanying Bhanga on an oversight visit to Makana, comprised DA Team One South Africa Campaign Spokesperson Solly Malatsi, Spokesperson for Basic Services Makashule Gana, EC Premier Campaign Spokesperson, Mlindi Nhanha, and Frontier Constituency Leader Jane Cowley. The group started their visit in N Street. With bucket toilets overflowing in some areas, residents showed them where they were dumping buckets at a nearby site. “The…

This year, because of the dry seasons we have experienced, the magnificent trees in the gardens of Makhanda (Grahamstown) and along the streets are flowering profusely. Usually a prolonged dry spell of some months followed by some good rains is the best conditions for good flowering. This year we had good rains in summer and autumn followed by low rainfall in the winter and spring which has resulted in a welcome show to our pot-holed streets. In July the numerous coastal coral trees (Erythrina cafra) started flowering. Outside the Albany Club, on High Street and outside the magisterial court building,…

The Electoral Commission says voter registration is in full swing at voting stations throughout South Africa. Reports from the Electoral Commission’s provincial operations confirm the opening of approximately 99 percent of the 22 925 voting stations on time and a steady stream of eligible voters visiting stations to register and update their registration details. In all but a minority of voting stations voter registration was reported to be proceeding smoothly and efficiently at 11am today. Among the challenges experienced by registration officials at the start of the final registration weekend included dealing with inclement weather conditions in a number of…

Magistrate Sarel Strauss has set down for 31 January the next appearance of five men arrested on rhino poaching charges. A Makhanda (Grahamstown) paramedic appeared for the second time on Wednesday 23 January alongside four Mozambican nationals in the Magistrate’s Court in Makhanda (Grahamstown). Senior State Advocate Buks Coetzee said the men had been arrested in the Free State on 30 December in possession of two rhino horns. Microchips in the horns had linked them to a black rhino in the Great Fish River reserve whose carcass was found there the next day. Representing the local man is *Declan WIlliamson.…

Makana Fire Services Manager William Welkom has confirmed that the smoke that covered parts of Makhanda (Grahamstown) late afternoon Wednesday 23 January was from a large fire at Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth. Algoa FM reported on the fire on Wednesday in the Noordhoek area of Port Elizabeth, which started around 9pm Tuesday 22 January. At midday today the station’s Neil Bisseker told Grocott’s Mail this morning’s updated report still applied. Algoa FM reported that PE fire-fighting teams were keeping an eye on the fire and that initial plans to evacuate the SANCCOB Penguin Rescue Station were put on hold because of a change in…

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) says it is working with industries to motivate the resumption of trade in safe products. This comes after neighbouring countries Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe banned the import of meat from South Africa after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease at the beginning of the year in the Vhembe and Capricorn Districts of Limpopo. The Department has reiterated that no live cloven hooved animals may be moved within the area affected by foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Vhembe District. “No live cloven hooved animals are allowed to move into,…

A case of attempted murder is under investigation after a man survived a shooting on a city street in Makhanda (Grahamstown) late on Monday 21 January. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said a man aged around 35 had been followed by two unknown men on a motorcycle through town. “In Market Street, the man stopped and got out of his car,” Govender said. “The two males on the motorcycle stopped next to him and shot him at point blank range with a shotgun in his stomach. They then fled the scene.” The incident occurred at 8.45pm on the corner of Market…