Author: Grocott's Mail Reporters

By JULIAN JACOBS There are seven new confirmed positive Covid-19 cases in Makhanda, as reported to the Makana Joint Operating Committee (JOC) on Tuesday 2 June. This brings Makana Municipality’s total confirmed positive cases to date to 12. Two, who are from Makhanda, are currently self-isolating in King William’s Town. Two others are at a quarantine site and the other three are self-isolating at their respective homes, the report said. All those who had tested positive to date were asymptomatic and were in recovery. There have been 12 confirmed positive cases reported in the Makana municipal area since the start…

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By JULIAN JACOBS Makhanda has a new Covid-19 case, members of the Makana Covid-19 Joint Operating Committee (JOC) heard on Tuesday, during a reportback at their weekly meeting. The meeting was informed that the person went to his doctor after experiencing Covid-19-like symptoms. He was tested and the next day he received his test result, which was positive. Members of the district health office visited the individual at this house where he is currently in quarantine, the JOC heard. This was to ensure that the person’s house was a safe and suitable quarantine site for him. All those who had…

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By JULIAN JACOBS Selling alcohol and cigarettes was made illegal at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa and the ban remains during the current stage 4 version. This has seen bootleggers thrive, charging exorbitant prices. Also thriving under the lockdown is home brewing – which is fine if you brew for your own use, but not if you brew to sell. One home brewer in Joza’s Extension 6 recounted to Grocott’s Mail her encounter with the Covid-19 lockdown laws and the soldiers enforcing them. Unathi (not her real name) shivered as she told her story to Grocott’s Mail through…

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By JULIAN JACOBS and SUE MACLENNAN The Emergency Medical Services ambulance depot in Makhanda is closed and nearly half  its staff have been ordered to self isolate at home for 14 days, after two employees received positive Covid-19 test results this week. While an EMS employee believes this situation could have been avoided had the department acted more quickly in providing personal protective equipment, the Department of Health said appropriate PPE was always issued and has urged against the ‘blame game’. The full staff complement of 69 was tested for the coronavirus on 6 May and yesterday, shortly after the…

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By NASI HAKO The streets of Makhanda, usually alive with Rhodes students,  became especially quiet at the start of the national lockdown on 26 March as students in residences returned home. The university campus remained closed as the country moved down to lockdown level 4 and as local restaurants open for deliveries and take-aways, they are feeling keenly the students’ continued absence. On 1 May, South Africa entered level 4 of the national lockdown, allowing fast-food restaurants and other dining establishments to open for deliveries and take-aways, among other liberties. After five weeks of the stringent level 5 regulations, many…

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By JULIAN JACOBS and SUE MACLENNAN The Department of Health has put on hold a plan to equip Temba TB Hospital in Fingo Village as a quarantine site for Covid-19 patients, following objections from the surrounding community. A large group of protesters from the Fingo community near Temba Hospital protested outside its gates on Friday, 1 May, after hearing that the hospital would be used for Covid-19 patients. Local community leaders who were eventually allowed inside the facility, where they expressed their concerns about the reported move by the Department of Health about using the hospital as a COvid-19 treatment…

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By JULIAN JACOBS Sindi* and Judith* are the only two women at the temporary shelter for homeless people during the Covid-19 lockdown in Makhanda. They are among 19 residents in two adjacent buildings (one for men, one for women) in Albany Road. “When we first came here, we were suspicious, a bit worried, but as the days went along, we understood the real reason for us being here. We now know more about the coronavirus and why we need to be indoors,” said Sindi. The stories of Sindi (27) and Judith (28) are similar in that they have both been on…

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By JULIAN JACOBS Simphiwe Xako, born and bred in Makhanda, is watching his dream of owning a thriving Tshisa Nyama restaurant going up in smoke due to the coronavirus lockdown. His need to leave a legacy for his children could be derailed. His restaurant is not the only one in our town as six other owners are feeling the pinch and possible closure for good. “I can’t pay the rent, electricity, my suppliers and my staff. The economic impact has been extremely detrimental. It’s been very, very negative for businesses. I can’t believe I am facing this,” said Xako. He…

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Abasemagunyeni bathe gqolo bebongoza bonke abantu ukuba bathobele imiqathango ebekiweyo. Liphinde longezwa ixesha lokuzivalela emakhaya kwaye oku kubangelwa kukungakhathali nokuba neenkani kwabantu nanjengoko bethe gqolo besihla benyuka ezitalatweni. Kumashishini akwindawo esihlala kuzo apha elokishini umqathango womgama oqingqiweyo phakathi kwabantu awulandelwa kwaye awuthathelwa ngqalelo. Kukho nabaqhubi bezithuthi zikawonkewonke abangawuthobeliyo umthetho wenani ekufanele likhwele, nto leyo ebeka ubomi babantu abaninzi esichengeni kwakunye nobabo ubomi nanjengoko kunzima ukugcina umgama oqingqiweyo xa abakhweli bexinene. Le ntsholongwane yeCovid-19 ayidlali kwaye ifuna wonke umntu atsalele calanye kwaye akhusele impilo yakhe kwakunye nabo bamngqongileyo. Amaqela amakhulu nangooxholovane baseSoweto iKaizer Chiefs neOrlando Pirates zibinze ngempahla nezixhobo zokuzikhusela kwabo…

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NguCHRIS TOTOBELA Eli lixesha elinzima kuye wonke ubani kwaye uloyiko lubangela ukuba sizibhaqe sisenza izinto esingakhange sizicwangcise. Wonke ubani uzibhaqa evaleleke ekhaya nosapho lwakhe nanjengoko eyalele njalo umongameli weli esenza iinzame zokunqanda ukunwenwa kwalentsholongwane yeCovid-19. Ukuvalwa kweendawo ezithengisa utywala necuba kungabangela umsindo kakhulu kwabo abaqhelileyo ukuzisebenzisa ezizinto nto leyo enokubangela ukuba bazibhaqe sele bekhuphela loo msindo kumanina nasebantwaneni babo. Eli lelona xesha ekufuneka ootata bazibonakalise bakhusele iintsapho zabo nanjengoko beziintloko zekhaya. Ukuhlukumeza oomama nabantwana akwamkelekanga tu kwaphela. Nazi ezinye iindlela ezilula zokuzilolonga ngethuba usekhaya kwaye ongakwazi ukuzenza nosapho lwakho, kodwa ningalibali ukugcina umgama oqingqiweyo phakathi kwenu. Ima ngenyawo unyuse iingalo…

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