By ROD AMNER A further four more Ward 4 committee members will be chosen at a meeting at the Recreation Hall on Thursday 2 June at 5.30 pm to join the six members already elected. All Ward 4 residents are free to attend. The six Ward 4 committee members have already met twice and reported problems to Democratic Alliance Ward 4 Councillor Geoff Embling. Embling and the ward committee members are currently circulating a petition about malfunctioning street lights in Scott’s Farm. The petition will also collect detailed information about the street lights in the area. The committee has distributed…
Author: Rod Amner
By STAFF REPORTER Makana Municipality sewage contractors damaged an underground power cable in Hemming Street, cutting power to parts of the CBD on Wednesday. A team of municipal electricians restored the local transformer at the Scott substation by early afternoon and are now focusing on the cable damage. They will try to swing the load in the interim and hope to reconnect the Eskom Building, Checkers and Mr Price later. A similar incident knocked out power in Sunnyside on 11 April after a civil contractor digging for sewage pipes instead damaged high voltage cables in Maynard Street. Ward 8 councillor…
MEDIA STATEMENT: DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) invites applications for bursaries to pursue water and sanitation-related qualifications in 2023. Bursary programme applications are open from 1 June to 31 October 2022. The bursary programme covers full tuition fees, accommodation, food as per university guidance, books and stationery allowance and a monthly stipend. Through the Department’s Learning Academy, students who previously benefited from the bursary programme have since been provided with employment contracts. The bursars get relevant workplace exposure and additional training until they are ready to register as professionals with their relevant professional…
Story and photographs by IVORY COLLINS Mass production runs the world, following a system of global supply chains, convenience and profit. A trip to the local grocery store means long lines, plastic packaging and inflation. We have little knowledge about where the products come from, how they are made, and how they may negatively affect others or the environment. But, change is possible. Igadi Market is an online cooperative farmers’ market founded in May 2020 by Carla and Fred Bright at Kingston Farm outside Bathurst. The market aims to be an accessible solution to buying local by connecting local producers…
OFFICIAL STATEMENT: MAKHANDA CIRCLE OF UNITY With deep sadness, the Makhanda Circle of Unity (MCU) notes the tragic death of Jeff Budaza, the Manager of the Makana Municipality Parks and Recreation Department. Media reports indicate that Budaza was shot and killed outside his home in Joza, Makhanda. We urge the South African Police Services (SAPS) to leave no stone unturned to resolve this matter and bring anyone behind this murder to book. Jeff Budaza In addition to his role at the Local Municipality, Mr Budaza was the founding president and coach of a popular local football team, Maru FC. Social…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA Last Saturday, Makabo held trials for local boxing clubs where a team was selected. This team will take part in the district trials on 16 and 17 July at a venue yet to be confirmed by the district authorities. The Makabo team comprises 36 boxers with 26 boys and ten girls. Mfuzo Boxing camp has the highest number of boxers in this team with 15, Masibambane 9, Golden gloves seven, Masakheke three and Thembalethu two. Bulelani Ndwayana was very pleased with the trials and confident that the team will make Makhanda proud in the July district trials.
By STAFF REPORTER The main concrete works for the R110.6-million upgrade of the James Kleyhans Water Treatment Works are almost complete. But Engineering News reports that installing the steel pipe fittings and specials is proving to be challenging due to a scarcity of the specialised materials required, the escalating cost of steel items, and the related cash flow issues that arise from these problems. The delays in the progress of this second phase of the three-phase project come on top of the delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and cash flow problems experienced by Mamlambo Consulting, the engineering first appointed to the project. Amatola Water, the…
By JAMES STENT A third Covid survey by the South African National Blood Service has been published.By testing for two different antibodies in blood donors, the researchers concluded that about 98% of people in South Africa have either been vaccinated against Covid, infected by Covid, or both.About 10% of people have been vaccinated but have not had Covid.The survey was conducted shortly before the April/May wave, which indicates that reinfection is now commonplace. The latest Covid seroprevalence survey shows that nearly every adult in South Africa has either been vaccinated or had Covid. For many, it’s both. The study analysed…
By STAFF REPORTER The Makana Democratic Alliance’s (DA) motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the Council was defeated in Council on 27 May when the five newly-inaugurated Makana Citizens Front (MCF) councillors surprisingly voted with the ANC. The DA said it tabled the motion because many of its motions – including a motion of no-confidence in the Municipal Manager – were not included in Council agendas. In addition, the DA said several meetings had been cancelled and rescheduled at short notice, which was “very disruptive to Council”. The Speaker’s office is responsible for submitting motions to Council and…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA and ROD AMNER Tributes to murdered Makana Municipality Parks and Recreation manager Jeff Budaza are pouring in from devastated friends, colleagues and comrades. Budaza was gunned down while closing the gate to his home in Extension 4 at 8 pm Wednesday, 25 May. Speculation is rife online that Budaza’s murder may have been politically motivated. Reaction from Makana Municipality In an official statement, the Makana Municipality said it mourned the sudden passing of Jeff Bhudaza. “The local Municipality Council and administration woke up to the very sad and shocking news of the brutal death of Jeff Bhudaza.…