By JESSICA FELDTMAN A blanket, a rattle, a squeaky toy, a mirror and ball, and of course loads of colourful baby books… All wrapped up in a locally designed Baby Treasure Box. At present, 22 households have received a Baby Treasure Box – delivered by Kaylenne Rushin and Anthea Davis, who were trained as home visitors by a local NGO, the Lebone Centre. The feedback from parents has been exceptionally heart-warming. “The parents are crazy about the boxes, and the children are just as excited,” Rushin exclaimed. Terry-Anne Scheepers is a young mother enrolled in the programme since she was…
Author: Rod Amner
By JOSIE MAKKINK South Africa, like much of the globe, is being continuously rocked by the choppy, uncharted waters of COVID-19. Its variants, popping up like ominous whack-a-moles, add to the chaos. We can no longer trust the consistency of the structures around us. With shifts in lockdown levels, the scope of permitted activities fluctuates as establishments close, open or function somewhere in between. People are mainly relying on their individual capabilities to regain a sense of normality within their lives. The pandemic has demanded a drastic increase in self-reliance from one group in particular: high school students. In the…
Reviews: Unam Wena by Mthunzikazi A Mbungwana and Ilifa by Athambile Masola By Dr LUKHANYO MAKHENYANE Reading Mbungwana and Masola’s poetry anthologies is like visiting a village after spending two decades in industrial cities. The moment you disembark and step out, your smiling face is greeted by a breath of fresh air that has been social distancing for the past twenty years. By this time, your lungs can tell you are in a different zone, and you can feel them taking huge gulps of fresh air. I had this kind of experience in reading Unam Wena by Mthunzikazi A. Mbungwana and…
By ROCHELLE THOMAS There were many explanations for the violent unrest that upended large swathes of Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng in July: cynical ethnic mobilisation by Zuma loyalists, opportunistic criminality, mob rule. But, for the group of womxn that formed #CodeRed in the wake of the mayhem, these analyses lacked a feminist perspective. They asked, “How would a feminist who believes in a socially just, equitable and womxn-centred society look at these riots?” Soon after, they drew up their feminist statement. For them, the answers lay in South Africa’s deep social inequities. The needs of the poor are being overlooked…
Do you have a photo (and caption) that captures the spirit of Makhanda? Why not share it with the rest of us. Email: editor@grocotts.co.za
By KARABO DIKOBE Earlier this month, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) hosted its annual AGM, which included a lecture in memory of the beloved Jack’ Skeado will do’ Skead. Skead (1912-2006) was a South African ornithologist, historian, and botanist. He was an avid birdwatcher who wrote to encourage people to take an interest in birds. Meryl Howls, one of the speakers, described Skead as “observant and wonderful”. His daughter Peggy recounted how much she had learnt from him and how involved she was with everything he had ever written. She shared how much of a magnificent…
The legendary singer and actor Elvis Presley earned over a billion dollars throughout his career. Still, when he passed away in 1977, all that was left in his estate was approximately $10 million. When his Executors wound up his estate, over 70% of the value of his estate had to be paid to the US Government in estate taxes, penalties and fees. This resulted in an amount of only $3 million being allocated to his beneficiaries. Although the “King of Rock & Roll” was one of the most outstanding performers of all time, the legacy he left behind for his…
By MAKWENA MANAKA & MATTHEW PETERSEN A case of arson has been opened against seven boys, aged 10 to 15 years old, after R100 000 of equipment belonging to the Brumbies Rugby Club was damaged in a fire at The Oval ground on Sunday 19 September. Firefighters were called to the scene by community members, but the fire had already caused extensive damage to a container of precious Brumbies equipment. Brumbies public relations officer Chesley Daniels and club President Tyrone Goliath rushed to the scene after being alerted about the fire at around 4 pm. Daniels said that when he and…
By MATTHEW PETERSEN With the Makana LFA Premier League having crowned Jacaranda Aces as the champions for the 2021 season, our focus shifts to the First Division. Plenty of teams are fighting for promotion to the Premier League for next season, and some are fighting to avoid finishing bottom of the pile. With a host of games taking place at Fiddler’s Green, Extension 7 and the JD Dlepu Stadium, the football season continues and heads towards an exciting climax! Match Report: Pumba Pirates vs African Spears Spears kicked the game off, but Pirates quickly established themselves as the dominant side…
By AYANDA KOTA, founding chairperson of the Unemployed Peoples’ Movement (UPM) The ruling party’s top-down approach to governance, especially at the municipal level, is arrogant, entitled and expresses its contempt for the needs and desires of citizens. The November local government elections are taking place in unprecedented times. The unemployment crisis continues to escalate, impoverished people are being pushed further out on the margins of society, and Covid-19 continues to destroy lives and livelihoods. And then there are the relentless looting and ANC factional battles. The 2019-2020 consolidated report on local government audit outcomes by the office of the auditor…