By LUNGILE MXUBE, Makana Citizens Front (MCF) interim convenor and proportional representation councillor The five proportional representation councillors of the Makana Citizens Front (MCF) have brought a breath of fresh air into the corridors of the Makana Municipality. When the recent Auditor General’s Report was tabled in the Special Council Meeting of 11 March there was a paradigm shift in how Council has approached this critical report. In the past, the ANC simply adopted the report without any critical analysis, robust engagement or demanding accountability from the Accounting Officer. On Friday, the MCF led a charge. We expressed disgust and…
Author: Rod Amner
By AIDEN DARIES FNB Rhodes suffered their second defeat in the Varsity Shield on Sunday as they were beaten 5-8 by FNB DUT at the Great Rhodes field. Before the game, Rhodes head coach, Andy Royle, said his team were “probably still sore from Friday, but spirits are high”. He also said Rhodes could not underestimate the opposition despite getting the better of them last year. “I don’t think we deserve to be walking around confident of anything at the moment. We are a long way off proving that we are too good for anything.” This was FNB DUT’s first…
By AIDEN DARIES The annual Varsity Shield kicked off last Friday as Rhodes University played host to the tournament’s opening two rounds. FNB Rhodes went up against FNB CPUT under the lights on Great Field, but all did not go as planned for the men from Grahamstown. FNB CPUT were the clear favourites heading into the game as they were crowned champions last year, and FNB Rhodes ended the season in sixth place. The last time these two met, CPUT thrashed this weekend’s hosts, 68-8. FNB Rhodes had a -209 points difference in last year’s Varsity Shield. New head coach,…
Thanks to Nita’s Makhanda Events WhatsApp group for these listings. Friday 11 March Live: Dave Glover@ Pothole and Donkey, 123 High Street18:00 – 21:00 Emcimbini 3.0: Soft life Party@ 37 on New19:00R40/ R30 presold – 0739037264 Table Too: MexicanPop up. Take-aways and sit down.Booking EssentialDinner 19:30 for 20:00R190/ personBring your own drinksJunitha 0826718558Michele 0839602366junitha@geenet.co.za Saturday 12 March Parkrun @ Bot Gardens08:00Register online: https://www.parkrun.co.za/register/ The Thrift MarketClothes. Accessories. Décor. Food. Jewelry. Coffee. Music. Picnics@ LA Café (Old Provost)10:00 – 14:00 Evening Hike with Makhanda Wild Hikers’ CrewMeet @ The Drostdy Arch, High Street. Destination Mountain Drive.15:00Mzi: +27812494979 Table Too: MexicanPop up.…
Dear editor, Nowadays good news is not as common as one would like it to be, and when it arises, it should therefore be given louder than ordinary applause. I refer specifically to the High Court’s dismissal of the recent challenge to Rhodes’s vaccine mandate. I am amongst those who believe the challenge is best seen as a gesture of juvenile and foolish look-at-me exhibitionism, and it’s no surprise that it appears to have originated within a sector of the University. ‘Freedom’ is an appealing but complex and dangerous concept. Full marks to the University for having taken this vertebrate…
By CHESLEY DANIELS Sidbury Cricket Club 2nd XV were recently crowned as the new Grahamstown Cricket Board (GCB) 2nd League Champions for the 2021/2022 season. They are deserved winners and champs after claiming the title they took many years ago. It has been a while for the team to win the prestigious 2nd league and what makes it extra special was the fact that they beat all odds to come from behind and claim the title. Sidbury had a slow start and found themselves at the bottom half of the log for much of the season. Station Hill, who were…
By CHRIS TOTOBELA The local football family has been dealt a massive blow after the passing of one of Makhanda’s greatest football sons. Tandazile “Tasco” Madinda, well known and respected in football circles, served in the Makana LFA as a secretary for a long time. He dedicated his life to making football better and accessible to all. He played for New Town City for many years before coaching them. In his memorial service at BB Zondani Hall on Wednesday afternoon, all the speakers echoed the same sentiments – that he was a people person. All he wanted was to see…
By ROD AMNER The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) declared Makana’s Financial Recovery Plan an order of the court on Thursday, 10 March. The Makana Residents Association, the Grahamstown Business Forum and the Unemployed People’s Movement said they would vigorously monitor the implementation of the order by the SCA. The Makana Residents Association (MRA) chairperson Sally Price-Smith was pleased with the ruling, “although it is a failure that we have to use court orders to compel the Makana Municipality to manage properly”. “Our concern will be ensuring that the Financial Recovery Plan is adhered to and whether senior management will…
By OVAYO MILISA NOVUKELA Eastern Cape Universities had a mixed start to their 2022 Varsity Shield Campaign at the Rhodes University Great Field on the weekend. Everything is on the line this season – with the promotion/relegation spots in play, every team involved in this campaign will have to bring their A-game in every match. Hosts Rhodes University had a bad start, losing both matches to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Walter Sisulu University (WSU) had a mixed weekend. They followed their shock 22-23 defeat to the University of KwaZulu-Natal with…
By JOY HINYIKIWILE Rhodes University could face yet another legal challenge to its vaccine mandate policy if University Alliance South Africa (Uasa) stays true to its word. Uasa has threatened to open a class action suit against all South African universities that insist on implementing a vaccine mandate policy. The organisation, which comprises students, parents and staff members from universities across the country, gave universities that had instituted or proposed a vaccine mandate policy until the end of Tuesday 8 March to reconsider and abandon their policies. According to a Business Day report by Alex Patrick, Uasa released a statement…