Author: Lindani Donyeli

Facilitators of the Ezabatsha Dialogue from the Department of Social Development met with the Department in Grahamstown at Noluthando Hall on 3 April. The dialogue was held in conjunction with the Department of Health. Nondumiso Gwanube, from the Department of Social Development’s Provincial office, Population Unit Deputy Director, Nomvuselelo Sekwana and Raphael Centre staff were present to assist those who wanted to check their HIV status. Debate and discussion included topics such as what causes young people to die today, adolescence and teenage pregnancy, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, the high rate of unemployment and young people falling in love with older partners.…

A Good Friday procession to Makana’s Kop – better known as Mount Zion, or Ntaba yeZono – aimed to raise awareness about the vision of Grahamstown cultural activist Sizwe Mda for the Grahamstown landmark. On Friday 30 March members of the St Patrick’s Church congregation gathered for the Good Friday ritual. Young and old gathered fopr the walk and members of St Johns Ambulance were present. Father Sandile, of St Peter Claver Catholic Church opened the ceremony with a prayer. Mda, organiser of the event, carried a large wooden cross. Dressed in a white robe, his head was wrapped in…

Teachers Donovan Wynne (left) and Kerry Barrow with some of the Grade R pupils in their veggie gardenThe Grade R class at Victoria Primary School has a veggie garden, which they started with the help of Music teacher Donovan Wynne. The children planted peas, basil, tomatoes, chilli, mealies, gooseberry bush, salad greens, and carrots. Grade R teacher Kerry Barrow said they planted the garden so that the pupils can “see growth from the garden to table, so they can see where food comes from.” They should not see food only in the market, she added. Barrow said that the Grade…

On Tuesday 6 March Health Department officials from the Raglan Road Clinic visited Esiyazama Day Care to help distribute de-worming pills and assess the children including giving Vitamin A catch-up to all children who were behind, according to their Road to Health booklet. De-worming improves appetite, said Yoliswa Manikivana, a Community Lainson Officer from Makana sub-District, who, working with the Raglan Road Clinic, supports all pre-schools and Day Care Centres in  Makana . Manikivana said that one of the biggest challenges they face at the clinic involved parents who never bring the Road-to-Health card of the child when the take a…

Employees in the Department of Health’s Makana Subdistrict have vowed to continue the healthy example they set on a recent Friday with an out-and-back fun run/walk from their Beaufort Street offices to the Fairbairn (Emthonjeni) spring. On their return they tested each other for high blood pressure, HIV/Aids, TB, pap smears, body weight and body mass index (BMI) and diabetes and Sister Hewana Nontozintle spoke about the importance of exercise. At lunchtime, instead of heading across the road to buy takeaways, they brought their own healthy packed lunches. Zintle Phekani, from Settlers Hospital, spoke about healthy eating.

Shoprite and Checkers workers gathered yesterday in front of Checkers in High Street in a two-day wage and employment conditions protest. Local organiser for the South Africa Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) ’Rocky’ Brian Kolweni said the Grahamstown action was part of a national strike and that one of their grievances was the temporary employment status of many of the employees. “Where are the changes?” Kolweni asked. He said labour laws dicated that a person who works for a company for more than three months has the right to be permanently employed. Other demands included safe transport for night-shift workers.…

Mbulelo Nondala, from the Zolani location, is the winner of February’s “My Garden competition”. When he was a little boy, Mbulelo learned about gardening from his father. Now he uses these skills to care for his own garden, planting mostly vegetables and watering the garden twice a week. He won himself a voucher worth R50 to spend on gardening materials at Sunnyside Garden Centre. With the voucher, Mbulelo purchased a tray of tomatoes and lettuce, which will add to his garden. “My Garden competition” is an initiative between by Grocott’s Mail and the Sunnyside Garden Centre, and has been running…

The Grahamstown CBD cleaning campaign aims to mobilise communities’ participation in keeping our city clean. The Community Work Project, in partnership with Makana Municipality, has committed to lead the way with monthly cleaning campaigns both in the CBD and in townships. On Tuesday 13 March, cleaning started at the Drostdy Arch at upper High Street and continued to the old train station. CWP Site Manager of Makana, Phumlani Satyi, said they had been approached by the municipality to start in town because this was the face of Grahamstown. The major targets were Beaufort Street, Bathurst Street and High Street. Team…

A residential tutoring centre that recently opened in Sunnyside believes it’s providing a useful service to people wanting to rewrite matric – and provide work for graduates to boot. But a district education official has red-flagged it, warning members of the public not to pay money to unregistered “spaza schools”. Founder of the Resurrection matric school at 29 Hill Street Elvias Ntantala believes he and his team of formerly unemployed graduates are providing a valuable service to people who want to improve on their matric results. Ntantala says the school, which opened on 22 January, provides education to people who have…

IkamvaYouth recently held an awards ceremony at their Nombulelo Secondary School offices, for top achievers in their subjects, as well as those who regularly attend the fee-free programme. The organisation offers support to children from disadvantaged communities from grades 9 to 11 in achieving their life and academic goals – whether it’s arranging subject tutoring through Rhodes University’s Community Engagement programme, or assisting with applications for tertiary education bursaries. Mihlali Breakfast, who enrolled at IkamvaYouth last year, was named the top student in isiXhosa. He motivated others by saying, “Between life and death, play the character!” The venue was packed…