Author: Donnay Oosthuizen

Somerset Place residents would like to thank most sincerely, ALL those dedicated fire fighters and others, who so valiantly fought the huge fires that raged down from the airport and army base to the top of the hill just above our Complex and beyond It was awesome and comforting to witness all the team work.  No panic, just action. Ben and Norma Bezuidenhout

In an effort to prevent future Listeriosis outbreaks, the National Department of Health (NDoH) has formed a multi-sectoral incident management team (IMT). “The formation of a multi-sectoral incident management team, and development of a listeria emergency response plan will strengthen the response to the listeria outbreak, and contribute to health system strengthening to prevent future outbreaks. Funding is being sourced,” said the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in a situation report released on Monday. According to the NICD, the number of cases of laboratory-confirmed Listeriosis reported per week has dropped since the implicated products were recalled on 04 March 2018,…

Unfortunately in Grahamstown we find ourselves in a difficult position with respect to the “drought”. Look at the figures for the rainfall for the past 10 months that I have recorded at Waterloo Farm (above the N2 bypass on the Port Alfred Road). That does not look like a drought does it? Note that October is the wettest month of the year (83mm). This exceeds the long term average monthly rainfall for any month. On “average” Grahamstown only has three months with rainfall exceeding 70mm and in the last 10 months we have had 4 months with over 70mm.  There were…

On Friday 25 August the teachers of the Gadra Matric School and other staff of Gadra Education paid tribute to Ms Melanie Lancaster.  They celebrated her 20th year as the Principal of the Gadra Matric School and saw it as an appropriate moment to reflect on the importance of leadership in the schooling context. There is wide public recognition of the importance of good leadership in the political sphere. In South Africa, we have an excellent case study that demonstrates the immense influence that leaders plays in the fortunes of nation states. The three long-serving presidents that we have had…

The staff and learners of St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for the generous support towards our Mini Fete held on Saturday 2 September 2017: Mr Quade Hassim aka “DJ Willy D”, Mr Lorenzo Doyle, Legends Cash Store, Tip Top Butchery, Forever Pure Water, Country Fresh Foods, Pepper Grove Pick n Pay, Checkers, Nyama Rama, Maxi Gas, ABM Office National, A – Z Furnitures, Mr Alroy Adriaan, Mr Glen Thomas and Shenaaz Ilsmerie Felix. A special thank you to all the parents who donated ingredients, baked goods and helped with preparing…

Rhodes University Drama Department has invited members of the public to Theatre in Motion – its annual showcase of Masters and Honours student work. Entry is free, but the programme is popular and so booking is essential. In the programme are student created stories, using the skills they have learned in choreography, physical performance, visual theatre and theatre design. The choreographers this year tell stories through movement incorporating a range of colours, emotions and  traditions. Here are works that challenge the gaze of the audience, break the comfort of the traditional fourth wall of the theatre and invite the audience…

By THEMBAKAZI MVEMVE Funeral planning in most cultures is very important, usually involving the burial of the deceased. The manner in which a person is buried often differs from culture to culture. It is however important to acknowledge any burial wishes the deceased may have provided for in his/her will. It is also recognised in most cultures that the deceased be given a respectable and dignified burial. A funeral requires many important decisions, some of which are: Whether to bury or cremate the deceased; Whether to hold a traditional funeral or a memorial service; Whether to follow any religious traditions; Where the interment or service should…

African Christian Democratic Party Member of Parliament Steven Swart and entrepreneur Thabo Mahlobo will be in Grahamstown this weekend for the New Economy Book Tour hosted by Christians@Rhodes. “South Africans are currently facing the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. Our nation is crying for hope,” the organisation said. “With the economic growth rate of South Africa being below one percent, there is an opportunity for Kingdom based solutions to address our current challenges.” The tour will launch Mahlobo’s The New Economy, described in a media release as “a navigation guide for Christians in the midst of the economic conditions we face in South Africa”.…

As you are aware we had a fire in the outside empty box container at Pick n Pay yesterday evening. We do need to thank the fire department and the traffic department for responding so quickly. D Platoon under the leadership of Nosabelo Julia Someketa , assisted by her team quickly extinguished the fire and checked through the cardboard waste for any smouldering. Senior Traffic Officer Cynthia Magxunyana assisted by Traffic Officer Freddie Oerson controlled traffic flow while the fire department dealt with the fire. It is comforting to know that in an event of an emergency our Fire and…