Author: Sue Maclennan

Rhodes says its plans to open for first-year registrations on 2 February 2019 are on track, and that it is working closely with Makana Municipality and national government to keep the institution, and the town, viable in the face of a deepening water crisis. University technicians and management are among those on joint operations committee (JOC) established this week to urgently plan for the day when the city’s supply is predicted to halve, just four weeks from now. Experts say it could be 28 days until the local water supply is reduced by half, forcing strict rationing. The University was among the city’s core economic…

Details emerged this month of the horrific death of a man at the municipal landfill in Makhanda (Grahamstown) just after Christmas. Thandisizwe Maki, in his mid-30s, died near the entrance of the landfill when a municipal truck allegedly drove over his head, crushing his skull. Guards and fellow pickers who were at the scene are haunted by the gruesome sight. Fellow picker Themba Nkuma*, 19, described the incident in isiXhosa, which was translated to Grocott’s Mail. He said Maki had been “riding” the truck up next to the driver and talking to him. “The driver stopped for him to get off.”…

STAFF REPORTER The R67 outside the Bathurst Showgrounds  is closed to traffic and a large contingent of police is on the scene as round 250 residents from Nolukhanyo township continue a protest that started early this morning. Police Spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said local police had gone to the site shortly after 6am. Public Order Police from East London were brought when around 250 protesters started burning tyres around 8.15am, blocking traffic and demanding that the Mayor address them. A Bathurst resident reported hearing bursts of gunshots earlier – “Eight or more, in bursts of two at a time,” the…

Rhodes University will have to close its doors if urgent solutions aren’t found to Makhanda’s (Grahamstown’s) looming water crisis, with experts predicting it could be 30 days until the local supply is reduced by half, forcing strict rationing. The University was among the city’s core economic entities invited to a water crisis meeting on Monday 14 January. High-level lobbying for national government support, strict enforcement of water restrictions, a water-rationing plan, importing experts who managed Cape Town’s recent water crisis and the day to day logistics of ensuring residents have water are among the tasks for an emergency team established…

Experts predict it could be 30 days until Makhanda’s (Grahamstown’s) supply is reduced by half, forcing strict rationing across the city. As the academic year launches, Grocott’s Mail asked principals of some of our best managed state, public and independent schools what measures they have in place for a depleted and intermittent water supply. A crisis task team to mitigate disaster was launched at a meeting called by Makana Municipality on Monday 14 January. Business, civil society and government representatives learned that the main supply to the city’s western areas, Settlers Dam, is this week at 13.4% of its capacity.…

Professionals who don’t treat teaching as “just a job”, and a mom who believes in him are two of the keys to Graeme College matriculant Tashin Patrick’s success in the National Senior Certificate exams in 2018. Tashin, who scored the top marks in the Sarah Baartman District, shared some of the secrets of his excellent academic record in an interview with Grocott’s Mail. All except one of Tashin’s marks were in the 90s, with 96% for Physical Science his top score. “You’ve got to set yourself high goals,” Tashin said. “Goals that some might think are unattainable – but you’ve…

Ghost Town residents on Monday 7 January barricaded the road below Sugarloaf Hill – the route to the Makana Electricity Department, Hooggenoeg and Makana Brick in Makhanda (Grahamstown) – in protest against dumping in the area and because they say they have been neglected by the municipality. A major clean-up led by the Grahamstown Residents Association, supported by Makana Municipality, local business and the Army, was conducted in May 2015. Dumping in the area quickly resumed, with some residents in the area using it to dump household waste. At the time, they said unreliable collection and not being given black…

Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Zweli Mkhize met the Eastern Cape traditional leadership yesterday 27 December 2018, to discuss ways of curbing further deaths of initiates during the traditional ritual of ulwaluko. The country has seen a spike in death of initiates in recent weeks particularly in the Eastern Cape. According to a statement from Cogta, Mkhize held a productive meeting with representatives of the National House of Traditional Leaders and the EC House of Traditional Leaders on the margins of the Xhosa Carnival celebrations hosted by king Zwelonke Sigcau. The meeting took place at the Nqadu Great…

Two dozen activists gathered in an hour-long vigil outside the Makhanda (Grahamstown) City Hall on Wednesday 19 December, renewing their call for the Makana Council to be dissolved. The protesters were among the hundreds who marched to the City Hall last month with a petition of more than 21 000 signatures calling for the Province to place Makana Municipality under Section 139(1)(c) administration. The event proceeded two days after the ANC’s Regional Executive Committee announced a reshuffle of its executive, including the resignation of the Mayor, Nomhle Gaga, and the deployment of political scientists and government adviser Mzukisi Mpahlwa to the…

Tension over the taxi route between the city and Extension 10 has been the cause of blockades since Friday 14 December and the complete closure of the Queen Street rank in Makhanda (Grahamstown) on Wednesday afternoon. The disruption has come at the peak period for taxis, and the greatest need for many passengers, as they spend end-of-year bonuses on school supplies and uniforms, along with festive season purchases. On Wednesday 19 December officers from Grahamstown SAPS, Public Order Policing (Port Elizabeth) and Makana Traffic Department were deployed to the Queen Street taxi rank around 12.30pm as vehicles from the Uncedo…