Author: Sue Maclennan

In an all-Grahamstown collaboration, GBS Mutual Bank has been named as the title sponsor for the GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon on Saturday 25 August 2018. hosted by the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset, this year’s 21km race across the mountain launches a vision to draw athletes back to the city with a must-do family oriented annual event. The Albany Saints & Sinners Multisport Club, which owns the event, is providing technical expertise and using its national network to bring runners back to the city with a vibrant, professionally run race. Local service and networking organisations will be…

An intensive search operation involving PE K9 Unit, Tactical Response Unit, SAPS Airwing Helicopter and various SAPS units of Port Elizabeth, Kinkelbos, Paterson and Alexandria, as well as farmers and farm workers paid off when three suspected house robbers were found and arrested deep in bushes on Stoney Croft Farm in the Kinkelbos area. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said this followed after two house robberies took place in the Bathurst and Alexandria areas on 5 and 6 April 2018. “In the first robbery, a 76 year old woman was robbed of her red Nissan 1400 bakkie, cash, flatscreen TV…

Granite replicas this week replaced the brass plaques stolen last year from the Bible Monument. Three of four brass plaques depicting the historic hand-over of a Bible to Pieter Uys’s party of Voortrekkers outside Grahamstown in 1837 were stolen from the monument near the industrial area west of Grahamstown in October last year – distressingly, Rapportryers member Strauss de Jager said at the time, given the small change the thieves may have received for this commemoration of this gesture of friendship between two groups often in conflict with each other. Stan Pohlman, owner of Crankshaw Marble and Granite from Queenstown helped decide materials, did…

The Nominations for the Liberty Radio Award, South Africa’s most envied award ceremony in the radio fraternity were recently announced. RMR has been nominated in the highly contested category of best breakfast show. With The Wake Up Call, recently renamed to the Standard Bank Breakfast Show, airing every weekday from 7-9am, the show has broadcasted lung-collapsing laughs and colourful conversation.  It holds a youthful feel of spunky and witty flair, and received the nomination with Producer: Chelsea Ogilvie, Anchor: Raymond Mojapelo, Co Hosts: Siphiwo Mangcangaza, and Aphiwe Myoli. The awards seek to represent a transparent, credible and well-judged programme celebrating…

As of 1 April, patients in Grahamstown who are seriously injured or ill and require urgent emergency surgery must travel to Port Alfred or further to receive treatment, if the situation occurs after-hours. This is because of a labour dispute between theatre staff and the Department of Health. However, public service watchdog PSAM warns that there is a statutory obligation to provide essential services at a hospital such as Settlers. Nolene Ferreira, Clinical Services Manager at Settlers Hospital this week confirmed that while the emergency department is fully operational to assist with emergencies, emergency after-hours surgery i!s being diverted to…

Peddie SAPS have opened a Culpable Homicide following an accident that took place in the early hours (01:40) of this morning Friday 2018-03-30, police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender reports. “The vehicle, an Avanza, was travelling from Port Elizabeth to King William’s Town with eight passengers,” Govender said. “As the vehicle approached the Keiskamma bridge it overturned fatally wounding one passenger, a 33 year old male. The cause of the accident is not known and will form part of the investigation.” The name of the deceased would be released once the next of kin has been informed. “Motorists are urged to…

Around 50 Azapo and PAC members gathered in Extension 4 on Wednesday 21 March to mark Human Rights Day with a drug-abuse awareness campaign. “Drugs are destroying our children,” said Zingisile Zake, secretary for youth development on Azapo’s PEC. “They are being used as agents to sell drugs. Drugs are destroying our future leaders.” Zake said their aim was to help unite the community against drug sources and agents. “These people are hiding behind the community,” Zake said. “We need the police to assist in finding them and rooting them out – but also for the community to co-operate in…

Senior State Counsel Jannie Engelbrecht spent two days this week closing the State’s case against three young men on trial following the discovery of Denise Nogqala’s battered body on a rubbish pile at the top of M Street on Sunday 5 December, 2016. Denise was 22 when she died, leaving two young sons. Today the first of the three accused, Lindani Vamva, 19, is testifying in the High Court in Grahamstown. The three were 16, 18 and 19 when they were arrested. Two of them were Grahamstown schoolboys. All were friends and close neighbours who grew up together. The events leading…

A total of 2 767 139 citizens visited their voting stations over the past weekend to either register as new voters or to update their registration, making this one of the busiest voter registration weekends in recent years, the Electoral Commission of South Africa said yesterday in a statement. In Makana, voting stations were quiet with no incidents reported. While the IEC said the Eastern Cape is the province with the highest level of registration at 87%, party agents in Grahamstown reported slow attendance at local voting stations over the weekend, which were opened for those eligible to register as…

Further to last week’s tip of the week, regarding vaccinations, it is important to note that animals cannot be boarded at any facility without a history of their vaccinations which need to be in date, nor can puppies attend training school without this.  For more information or advice, please contact Grahamstown SPCA or any of the vets in town: Grahamstown Veterinary Practice on Fitzroy Street, Tel: 046 622 6743 Ikhala Veterinary Practice on Strowan Road, Tel: 046 622 3261 The State Vet on George Street, Tel:  046 622 7112 Keep in touch with all the improvements and updates on your…