Author: Sue Maclennan

“We can market a festival in Makhanda as easily as we can one in Grahamstown,” says National Arts Festival CEO Tony Lankester. A day after Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s approval of the change of Grahamstown’s name to Makhanda was announced in the Government Gazette on Friday 29 June, the Festival’s Facebook tag changed from ‘National Arts Festival Grahamstown’ to ‘National Arts Festival Makhanda’. “Our view is that, from the Festival’s perspective, we’ll work with whatever name we have to work with,” Lankester told Grocott’s Mail. “South Africans tend to refer to us colloquially as the ‘Grahamstown Festival’. I’m…

The travelling exhibition Dear Mr Mandela, Dear Mrs Parkes, inspired by hundreds of letters from children around the world, has made its way to the National English Literary Museum in Grahamstown. Grocott’s Mail has partnered with NELM and Rhodes University Community Engagement in the lead-up to the latter’s Trading Live project to honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy and spirit. NELM has invited Grahamstown residents of any age (not only children!) to be part of the global project and write their own letter about someone who is an inspiration to them. The Dear Mr Mandela, Dear Mrs Parkes exhibition was launched at…

Monday 26 November 2018 could be the day Makhanda’s (Grahamstown’s) water shortage hits home, unless Makana Municipality and residents take drastic action to secure the supply and reduce consumption. The Department of Water and Sanitation Friday 29 June confirmed that the available supply dam for the west part of the city, Howieson’s Poort, had 43 days of water left. The main dam serving west Makhanda (Grahamstown), Settlers, could supply enough water for a further 102 days, provided the pumps there remain operational, and depending until what level of depletion they can continue to work. Meanwhile, the city is currently unable…

The South African Police Service would like to share the following safety tips for when you’re trying to keep warm in the cold weather: Heater safety • Ensure that your heater is in good working order and that cords and other components are not damaged. If you use a gas heater, inspect it to ensure there are no leaks. If valves, pipes or other components of the heater are damaged, either replace the parts that can be replaced or buy a new heater. • Ensure proper ventilation when using gas heaters or other fuel burning appliances. Outdoor heaters should not be…

A young man sentenced this week to 25 years imprisonment for Denise Nogqala’s murder intends to appeal his conviction. Judge Mbulelo Jolwana yesterday sentenced Lindani Vamva for the murder and Siphamandla Futhufuthu for the rape and murder of the young mother of two during an end-of-term celebration on 4 December 2016. Vamva was 18 at the time and a pupil at a local high school. Futhufuthu was 19. A third teenager was acquitted on both charges. He was 16 on the night of the assault and still a minor (17) at the time of the trial which was therefore heard…

By KUTLWANO TSHEKOSO KEPADISA The Grahamstown KWANTU Choir is a young choir started in 2017 by a group of mostly students from Rhodes University and the youth and community of Rhini and Joza townships, from the Makana Municipality, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The Choir was initiated by Kutlwano Tshekiso Kepadisa, a student at the university, at the age of 21. This was after realising the lack of cultural activity and interaction among the students and the community. As an experienced singer and conductor in choral and chamber music while a high student, he resolved to use…

Nowhere in South Africa has the process to change the name of a place been as intensive as in Grahamstown. That’s what South African Geographical Names Council Chairperson Johnny Mohlala told Grocott’s Mail after the change from Grahamstown to Makhanda was officially gazetted yesterday. Anti-name change campaigner Jock McConnachie has issued a strong statement, saying the decision is unconstitutional and that Keep Grahamstown Grahamstown will be presenting objections to the Minister within the 30-day period allowed. Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has approved the change of Grahamstown’s name to Makhanda. This was announced in the Government Gazette Friday 29…

Grahamstown is the home of the National Arts Festival, and it’s here to stay. That was the message of speaker after speaker at the various official opening events of the National Arts Festival this week. Blue-light-announced meetings of government officials and politicians in the city centre early Wednesday 27 June were followed by a media briefing and reception hosted by Makana Mayor Nomhle Gaga in the afternoon. Later, 31 taxis commissioned by the municipality took residents from all over the city to a colourful sunset opening event at the Monument. Thursday morning saw the police band accompany the raising of…

Former director of the Cape Town Art Fair and founder of contemporary art journal Adjective Matthew Partridge is in Grahamstown to answer all the questions you ever had about modern and contemporary art (yes they’re different…). He’s the curator of Strauss & Co’s exhibition of modern and contemporary art in the Alumni Gallery of the Albany History Museum at this year’s National Arts Festival. The exhibition is a “highlights” package from works on offer at the company’s forthcoming sales. Grocott’s Mail spoke to Partridge on the eve of the opening of the 44th edition of the National Arts Festival. He’d arrived…