By Andile Nayika It has been three decades since the dawn of democracy in South Africa, yet gaps between communities and government remain a talking point. The apartheid administration brought the blatant exclusive participation in governance, forcefully silencing a large portion of the population. However, the 1994 turn-around promised equality, inclusivity, freedom in the form democracy; a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held elections. Even though elections are at the centre of democracy, local municipalities, according to Chapter 4…
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Stay in the loop with the latest and join the MEW WhatsApp group! POP-UPS/ FESTIVALS/ EXHIBITIONS/REPEAT EVENTS Friday, 19 – Monday, 22 April Makana Freedom Festival Come and join us for some food, poetry, music, sports, arts and crafts. @ Egazini Battlefield, Albert Road Free entry Tuesday, 23 April – Sunday, 30 June Community Assets for Social Innovation A research and training program to develop ideas for enterprise and community development initiatives. @ RUCE 5 Prince Alfred Street, Rhodes University 14:00 – 16:00 Contact Thandiwe on ruce@ru.ac.za Free entry __ THIS WEEK THURSDAY, 18 APRIL U3A This week, our lecturer will…
By Sibongiseni Maphumulo The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) convened at the Albany Museum in Makhanda, where their first deployed deputy president, Cde Nyamela Macanda, spearheaded discussions on critical union matters. Among the attendees were various shop stewards representing different branches of Nehawu, convened under the banner of the Nehawu Town-Based Shops Wards Council. Max Madlingozi Region deputy secretary, Sifundo Daweti, assumed the responsibility of directing the minutes of the meeting, ensuring that every concern and resolution was meticulously recorded. Members seized the opportunity to voice their grievances and sought clarity on pertinent issues from Macanda. The…
By Steven Lang Makana City Hall reverberated with foot-stomping, chanting and sporadic booing as the time approached for an election discussion broadcast on Mpuma Kapa TV, an Eastern Cape community television station, last Sunday. The Hall was packed with supporters from the four parties represented on the Makana Local Municipality Council: the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Makana Citizens Front (MCF). Mpuma Kapa presenter, Percy Lamani, hosted the panel that included Andile Hoyi, chief whip of the ANC in Makana; Kevin Mileham, the DA shadow minister of mineral resources and…
By Ross Marriner Factors such as load shedding, corruption and the general deterioration of municipal service delivery have caused even the most patriotic South Africans to investigate ways to divert a significant proportion of their wealth offshore instead of into the local economy. Although it is important to avoid making investment decisions based on emotion, investing a portion of your portfolio of investments offshore is usually a sensible strategy. A suitably diversified portfolio of investments is an excellent approach to creating sustainable wealth in the long term. A question often asked is what percentage of one’s total investment portfolio should…
By Siqhamo Jama Amidst the community’s hardships, a beacon of hope shines tall in the centre of Extension 5 in Joza Location of Makhanda. This beacon is Bulelani Ngxakaza, the creator of eSandton 046, a local coffee shop and snack bar. It has grown from its modest beginnings as an abandoned container, becoming a thriving centre for entrepreneurship and connection. The journey of Bulelani Ngxakaza is a testament to his tenacity, willpower, and long-lasting love for his people. He is a native of Makhanda and is well aware of the difficulties its citizens endure. Despite having to leave PE Technikon…
By Ronald L. Murdoch Oats There is an often spoken about but seldom practised philosophy of ‘Ubuntu’ in Africa. ‘uMuntu ngumuntu ngabantu’ is the isiZulu and most commonly cited phrasing of the idea, although it is present in languages all over the continent. ‘A person is a person through the people.’ Joe epitomised this kind of humanism. Anyone who met him immediately understood that their place in relation to him was beside him, not above or below, but ‘arm-slung-over-the-shoulder’ beside him. He actually didn’t like the term, but we called him Prof. Joe out of a teasing kind of respect.…
By Chubeka Kulu In the heart of Motherwell, Eastern Cape, Siphiwe-Sami Qoko’s journey unfolded amidst the contrasting experiences of a middle-class upbringing and the trials of financial difficulties. Her childhood was shaped by the comfort of a loving home and the challenges of economic uncertainty. Still, it was underpinned by her parents’ unwavering belief in the power of resilience and education. Choosing to study Fine Arts at Rhodes University was a pivotal decision for Sami. Though initially uncertain, the welcoming atmosphere of the university and the familiar streets of Grahamstown (Makhanda) — her father’s hometown — quickly felt like home. Here,…
By Kungawo Ralo and Thina Stamper Day 2 of the journalism summit was held at the Bioscience building of Rhodes University on Friday, 5 April. The summit aimed to discuss and elaborate on different issues dealt with in journalism. On the day, the summit was convened by Professor Anthea Garman, and she was joined by various guest speakers from other parts of the country who contributed significantly to the discussion. During the debate, journalists raised issues they grappled with in their profession. In the heart of journalism, stories of violence, abuse, and tragedy persist, challenging reporters to navigate with craft…
By Ropafadzo Madziva and Gremma Matiwa The Journalism Summit, held by Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies on 4 April, highlighted the revolutionary changes and the role that journalism education has played over the past 30 years. “Our role is to nurture critical citizens of the world,” said Rhodes University lecturer Prof Sioux McKenna as she began the analysis of the university as a neoliberal institution and the implications for the critical education of professionals. McKenna further elaborated on how universities impact the economic value of the country and how human activity is viewed through the lens of economic…