Author: Kathryn Cleary

Following public outcry over rapidly disappearing Grahamstown (Makhanda) wildflowers, environmental law-enforcement unit, the Green Scorpions, have taken action. This comes after residents expressed concerns on social media regarding the picking and selling of proteas and arum lilies from Mountain Drive and the Highlands Road. The picking and selling of wildflowers without a permit is illegal, and poses a severe threat to the environment. According to the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974, no person may pick, possess, sell or purchase protected wildflowers without the appropriate permit. A representative from the Green Scorpions stated that they have attended to the public’s…

21 July, Waves for Change hosted a very special event in Muizenberg, graduation! After a child has spent one year in the programme they go through graduation. Graduation is a rite of passage in Waves for Change, hopefully symbolising the first year of many more to come. Waves for Change graduates go on to become leaders in the organisation, like surf coaches and mentors for the younger members. For more information about Waves for Change visit their website here: https://www.waves-for-change.org/ Photos courtesy of Liesel James, Muizenberg Site Director. 

On 16 July, in honour of Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday, British High Commissioner to South Africa, Nigel Casey, accompanied volunteers and children from Cape Town based NGO, Waves for Change (W4C) to Robben Island in Cape Town. The group took part in a clean-up of the island, paying particular attention to plastic waste. Members of Let’s Do It! World were also present. “Let’s do it! Zero waste!”, chanted children and community members. Items like plastic straws, chip and sweets packets as well as fishing line made up the bulk of the collected rubbish. “[Plastic pollution] is a…

On 12 and 19 June, Grocott’s Mail and Health-e News’ collaborative documentary about what experts are calling the next Life Esidimeni, aired on eNCA’s current affairs show, Checkpoint. Split into two episodes, “The Writing on the Wall”, exposed the gruelling truth behind psychiatric care in the Eastern Cape.  From Tower Hospital in Fort Beaufort, to Grahamstown’s own Fort England, shocking similarities were highlighted between many provincial facilities. The reactions from local community members, as well as South Africans at large, was very positive. The documentary’s producer, Bernadette Maguire stated, “We have had lots and lots of positive reactions so far, obviously there have been the detractors…

On 21 June, citizens from around the globe joined together to celebrate International Yoga Day. Events were hosted across the world as a way for people to come together in celebration of yoga and meditation. In Grahamstown, a group of local youth including the Upstart Youth Development Project, met at the Joza Youth Hub to find their centre.  Spearheaded by local yogi, Meenakshi Kara Dullabh, the event at the Hub served as a way to teach and inspire youth to live a more stress-free and happy life. “It’s about finding happiness in your self”, she said. Dullabh is part of…

Grahamstown resident, Nomalungelo Tshunungwa, keeps busy despite not being formally employed. As well as being a mother of two children, Tshunungwa fills her spare time with creativity. Some would call it ‘upcycling’, Tshunungwa redesigns old shoes, hand bags, hats and other accessories.  Her creative inspiration comes after a trip to Durban in 2012, where she noticed the popularity of Shweshwe fabric and designs. “The problem is, I’m not working. I just think out of the box to do this stuff. There is no one who teaches me, I just think [that] if I can recover some bags, some shoes, some…

31 May Rhodes alumnus Marc Schroeder hosted the Grahamstown launch of his debut novel, Sleeping With Dogs; A Tale of Madness, at NELM. The novel’s off-set commentary on one individual’s journey from drug abuse, to freedom and self-realisation makes it an ideal read for any Rhodes student. Eastern Cape-esque does not even begin to localise the novel with its unique Grahamstonian prose; colloquial and oozing with dry humour – not too unlike the usual bar fly in the City of Saints. The book follows Schroeder’s first-person narrative from his time as a Rhodes student, to landing a posh career in…

Health-e News and Grocott’s Mail are proud to announce the debut of PART 2 of their shocking documentary on Tower Psychiatric Hospital in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape. Just as Health Ombudsmen Malegapuru Makgoba heads to Tower, this documentary comes to life. The documentary features an exclusive interview with whistleblower and former Tower psychiatrist, Dr Kiran Sukeri, along with former staff members and families of patients who have died and suffered at the hands of facilities meant to protect them.  Sukeri blew the whistle about alleged human rights violations and mismanagement at the hospital in early March of this year before he…

12 June, eNCA’s current affairs show Checkpoint debuted Grocott’s Mail and Health-e News’ collaborative documentary, “The Writing on the Wall”, about what experts are calling the next Life Esidimeni tragedy. Part one of this two part series investigates the alleged human rights violations and mismanagement at Tower Psychiatric Hospital in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape. Featuring exclusive interviews with Tower whistleblower, Dr Kiran Sukeri, as well as staff, and patient families; this documentary is not to be overlooked.  *Viewer discretion is advised To view episode one, select “Writing on the Wall part 1 of 3”, then 2 and 3 respectively from the left hand corner of the…

Last week Grocott’s Mail journalist Kathryn Cleary, Health-e TV Producer Bernadette Maguire and cameraman Lee Saunders, successfully handed over a documentary to eNCA’s current affairs show, Checkpoint.  The film follows Cleary’s investigations deep into the Eastern Cape’s mental healthcare crisis, and gives viewers an exclusive inside look into the horrors of Tower Psychiatric Hospital in Fort Beaufort. Earlier this year, 4 March, Rapport and City Press reported on allegations made by former Tower psychiatrist, Kiran Sukeri, of human rights violations and hospital mismanagement. Cleary followed the story, and has since broken news about other mental healthcare facilities in the province. Mid-April, following…