Author: Sue Maclennan

A woman whose vehicle hit a stray cow on a Grahamstown street last Friday night says if the accident had been any worse, she fears she might have lost her baby, due in two months, or even been killed herself. Georgie du Toit and a friend went to fetch water from the Fairbairn spring early Friday evening 13 April. “On the way back, as we came around the corner of George Street, there was a cow in the middle of our side of the road which we drove straight into,” Du Toit said. “We weren’t driving fast at all, but…

Members of the Unemployed People’s Movement (UPM) suspended their disruption of road repairs in Beaufort Street  after discussions with acting municipal manager Ted Pillay on Saturday 21 April. Thursday 19 April, protesters halted Sanral’s roadworks in the city, saying they should resume only after a meeting scheduled with Pillay for 2pm the next day. The protesters’ main concern was the manner in which local people working on the project had been selected. “Councillors and ward committees don’t involve the entire community when it comes to selecting people for jobs,” spokesperson Thembela Gqasana told Grocott’s Mail on Thursday. On Friday, police…

The after-hours emergency theatre service at Settlers Hospital has resumed, management confirmed this week. Meanwhile, a report to a meeting in the City Hall this week stated that no after-hours emergency surgery had been referred to Port Alfred since management’s 1 April announcement. In addition, theatre nurses called to an emergency after-hours operation on 2 April at Settlers Hospital had responded and performed their professional duties. “We can confirm that the after hours emergency theatre service at Settlers Hospital is now fully operational again,” Clinical Services Manager of Nalithemba Hospitals Nolene Ferreira told Grocott’s Mail in response to an emailed…

Around 50 members of the Unemployed People’s Movement marched in protest Thursday afternoon 19 April to the current site of Sanral’s Beaufort Street road-repair project. The project is the outcome of the Mayor’s August 2016 request to the South African national Road Agency for assistance in repairing the badly potholed 9km section of road. However, UPM members expressed concern that non-Grahamstown residents had been employed on the project. One of the leaders of the protest, Thembela Gqasana, spoke to Grocott’s Mail at the site. “The biggest problem in Grahamstown is unemployment,” Gqasana said. “Councillors and the ward committees don’t involve…

Missions organisation African Enterprise is partnering with Grahamstown churches in a week-long blitz of evangelism on the city’s streets. The opening rally in the City Hall on 28 April will launch some 40 events in the city, focusing on reconciliation and practical action, with the closing rally in the Indoor Sports Centre on 6 May the grand finale. Mission setup co-ordinator for African Enterprise (AE) Siphiwe Sibiya, along with Grahamstown co-ordinators Ronel Mostert and Lester Sigauke, spoke to church, school and civil society partners at NELM this week about the interdenominational venture. “It’s going to be like we’re crazy,” Sibiya,…

“I am more than happy, I am over the moon,” Zenzele Ngcolomba, a member of the Prudhoe Community Committee, told Grocott’s Mail following last week’s Land Claims Court judgment awarding the group restitution of 26 farms, including the land on which the Fish River Sun Hotel is located. Their victory comes after waiting for almost 20 years to have their land claim adjudicated. “We were removed from the land we were born on, and to get back that land, it took us 20 solid years,” Ngcolomba said during an interview at the Legal Resources Centre in Grahamstown. The LRC represented…

Whether Makana can afford their services, and whether the municipality continues to service its R40 million debt to Amatola are among the factors that will determine whether the utility will return to Makana, according to newly-appointed Amatola Water chief executive officer, Vuyo Zitumane, who took up office on 3 April. “Engagement between Amatola Water and Makana Municipality is ongoing,” Zitumane told Grocott’s Mail in response to questions. “The decision for Amatola Water to resume its services will be contractually determined by both parties as part of these engagements.” Amatola Water withdrew their services from Makana in September last year as…

Residents affected by last week’s power surge in the Kingswood/ Albany Road area have been urged to write to the municipality detailing damage to their appliances and the cost. The incident on Thursday 12 April that affected dozens of households was triggered by the theft of copper cables from a substation in the area, Makana’s Communications Unit said. In a statement Friday 13 April, the municipality said they had opened a criminal case following a break-in at the Kingswood substation, corner of Caldecott and Currie Streets. “The vandals stole copper cables, in the process damaging the neutral conductor. This triggered…

Ayikho into enzima njengokubhala ngomntu ofunde kakhulu, kunye nomntu osebenza nzima. Nangona ufuna ukushwankathela zonke izinto azizuzileyo, kubanzima kuba okokuqala, ziye zibeninzi izinto azizuzileyo, okwesibini ziye zibaluleke zonke ngokulinganayo. UZakeera Docrat ngomnye wabantu abafunde kwade kwabanzima ukushwankathela xa uthetha ngabo. Okungathethwanga ngaye apha akuyokuba akubalulekanga kungokuba kunzima kakhulu ukumshwankathela, singabhala kuse. UZakeera uzifumbethe zantathu izidanga zakhe apha eRhodes University, waqala ngeB.A, walandela ngeBA Honors aziphumelele ngodidi oluphezulu, iLLB kunye nasidanga seMA esihloko sithi ‘The role of African languages in the South African legal system: towards a transformative agenda’ asiphumelele ngodidi oluphezulu naso. Ungumcedisi-mhlohli kwisifundo esitsha esingolwimi kunye nomthetho, ukwalilo nelungu…

Big screen movies are back after a two-week hiatus for Easter and Grad and Movies at the Monument has a couple of goodies in store. Join them this Friday at 6pm or 8pm at the Olive Schreiner Hall in the Monument where the popcorn will be popping and the beer and soft-drinks cold. Tickets are just R30 for adults; R25 for pensioners, students and kids. Block bookings for schools and groups can be made in advance by calling Kate or Akhona on 046 603 1103 or emailing kate@nationalartsfestival.co.za. How to train your Dragon (PG) – Friday 13 April – 6pm…