Author: Staff Reporter

The annual Buyel’Ekhaya Festival will once again thrill East London crowds on 16 December at Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium. This year’s programme of workshops, fashion and the music festival will be a treat for culture lovers celebrating the festive season.  This year’s superb lineup features legends, as well as the hottest hit makers across a variety of genres, making Buyel’Ekhaya an unmissable event for everyone in the city and from across the region. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Jonas Gwangwa, Zahara, Peddie-born Dumza Maswana, Busiswa, Shekhinah, Sun-El Musician, Moonchild Sanelly, Prince Kaybee and Mobi Dixon are all billed and now Port Elizabeth-born Vusi Nova, who is riding…

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Makhanda (Grahamstown) has two loadshedding areas – 1 and 2. Loadshedding times for each area today, according to Eskom’s schedule are as follows: Grahamstown 1 7am-9.30am Rhodes, Military Base, Golf Course, Slaaikraal, Strowan Farm, Strowan Mine, Industrial Area, Prison, Tick Research, Mountain Drive, Brackendale farm, Salem Crossroads, Thomas Baines, Howieson’s Poort & Settlers Pump Station, Cradock Heights, Somerset Heights, Ghost Town, Hooggenoeg, Vergenoeg, Scott’s Farm, Kingswood, Hill 60, West Hill, Orsmond Area, Upper High, New and African streets. Grahamstown 2 11pm to 1.30am Stones Hill, Belmont Area, Sunnyside, Fort England Area, CBD Area, Oatlands North, Oatlands South, Settlers Hospital, St…

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The St Andrew’s College Pipe Band celebrated its 80th year of existence in 2018, and is believed to be the oldest school pipe band in the country. Girls from DSG have played in the band since 1995, when Christine Harris became the first DSG piper, and since then a good number of girls have played in the band, several of them holding the position of leading side drummer. In 2019 another historic milestone was reached, when Lucy Ter Morshuizen became the first DSG girl to hold the top position of Pipe Major. Originally taught by another DSG pupil, Kaeleigh Vetch,…

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Social justice activists have planned a public protest outside the High Commission of Tanzania in Pretoria on Friday. Organising through the amandla.mobi platform, they are calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to publicly condemn the Governor of Dar es Salaam’s assault on the civil liberties of queer Tanzanians, according to a media statement issued Tuesday 4 December. The social justice community is also asking the President to offer asylum to those who facing arrest “for being who they are”. Paul Makonda, the governor of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, deployed a surveillance squad, to track down queer people on social media. Homosexuality is…

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Motorists will this week get an early Christmas present with the price of all grades of petrol set to come down by R1.84 a litre this week. The Department of Energy announced that both grades of petrol 93 (ULP and LRP) and 95 (ULP and LRP) will decrease by R1.84. The price of Diesel 0.05% sulphur will come down by R1.45 a litre while that of Diesel 0.005% sulphur is scheduled to come down by R1.47 a litre. A litre of 95 ULP will now cost R15.24 a litre in Gauteng as of Wednesday. This will be a much-needed reprieve for…

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The Novartis Foundation and partners prove effectiveness of community-based approach to tackling hypertension in Ghana. Report via APO Innovative ComHIP project in Ghana shows that bringing healthcare closer to where people live, work and shop effectively tackles hypertension – the most deadly non-communicable disease Digital health tools a key enabler in the programme The control rate of people with hypertension enrolled and retained in the programme for over a year climbed from 36% to 72% The Ghanaian government is integrating the model into national policy and plans to scale-up to additional regions This form of community-based care could save millions…

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Quiteria & George, a South African haute couture designer duo in partnership with Manualrossa Apparel produced an outift worn by Beyoncé at the Global One Festival South Africa on November 2, 2018. The dress was an inspiration of the “METAMORPHOSIS” line recently showcased by Quiteria & George at Africa Fashion Week. Quiteria Kekana, co-designer at Quiteria & George says, “We have always made it our mission to one day dress Beyoncé, but we never thought that the day would come so soon. This dress was designed with the purpose to showcase our capabilities and is reflective of all the positive changes taking place.” George…

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Makhanda (Grahamstown) has two loadshedding areas – 1 and 2. Grahamstown 1 – 5pm-7.30pm Rhodes, Military Base, Golf Course, Slaaikraal, Strowan Farm, Strowan Mine, Industrial Area, Prison, Tick Research, Mountain Drive, Brackendale farm, Salem Crossroads, Thomas Baines, Howieson’s Poort & Settlers Pump Station, Cradock Heights, Somerset Heights, Ghost Town, Hooggenoeg, Vergenoeg, Scott’s Farm, Kingswood, Hill 60, West Hill, Orsmond Area, Upper High, New and African streets. Grahamstown 2 – 1am-3.30am AND 9am-11.30am Stones Hill, Belmont Area, Sunnyside, Fort England Area, CBD Area, Oatlands North, Oatlands South, Settlers Hospital, St Andrew’s College, Fort England Hospital, VG High and Primary School, PJ Olivier School, Bottom…

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From the Southern foot of the Drakensburg in the Eastern Cape, in a rural Ugie, come a five-man rap ensemble of road construction workers, general workers and farm labourers who are carving their mark in local rap folklore in isiXhosa. The group, Ugie Mob is the opposite of what rappers are considered and promoted to be, these are young men who work on road constructions and other manual labour, and their image and lyrical content reflect it to a tee. Listening to the radio, glamour and the appeal of it are somewhat the order of the day in regards to…

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From small beginnings in December 2009 in the NG Kerksaal, the Grahamstown Christmas Market has become an institution of its own in our city. Started as a joint venture by the NG Kerk Albanie and the Rapportryers, it has grown in size, stature and popularity, especially after moving to the school hall premises of Hoërskool PJ Olivier in 2013. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Market, a fourth day of browsing, buying and being spoilt at the famous coffee shop was added for this year. Doors will be open from Wednesday 28 through Friday 30 November, 10am to 7pm,…

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