Author: Staff Reporter

Chairperson of the Alexandria Agricultural Association Brent McNamara said this morning that while the condition of farmer Riaan Scheepers was currently stable, it remained serious. Scheepers was assaulted around 9am yesterday on the Fick farm in the Alexandria district. According to police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender, Scheepers, who is in his early 60s, was attacked in his home by two men and severely beaten. The men fled with in bakkie which was later recovered. A .38 special revolver is believed to have also been taken. Scheepers was taken to hospital. “Details of the incident are still unclear and a…

An inquest has been opened into the death of a soldier from 6SAI Battallion after he got into difficulty while swimming at the Rhodes University pool last weekend. Lance Corporal Thulani Giqwa was at the pool with his girlfriend and two friends, according to police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender, who confirmed the inquest. A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said Giqwa was a good swimmer and no one understood why he had drowned. “He was with friends it happened late afternoon not sure of the time. That is all we know,” the source said. A friend who posted…

Do you want to accelerate the success of your small business? Would you benefit from a two-year programme of professional business development support? Does your business have significant potential to grow and make a positive contribution to the economy? The SAB Foundation invites applications from viable, black-owned businesses that wish to be considered for the 2018 Tholoana Enterprise Programme. More than 100 emerging entrepreneurs in all nine provinces have had their success accelerated since this innovative business support programme, which is implemented by business growth professionals Fetola, began in 2015. “We are looking for the best of the best to…

Teacher, artist and author Lorraine Mullins was last Friday honoured by St Andrew’s Preparatory School for his decades of service to the school by naming its centre for creative learning after him. Lorraine, a well-known and respected figure in Grahamstown, spent his first four years of primary school at St Andrew’s Preparatory before moving to The Ridge in Johannesburg. He completed his secondary school at St Andrew’s College. After concluding his studies at Rhodes University, he moved to England where he taught at The Dragon School in Oxford. Lorraine returned to teach at Prep, where he was first appointed as…

President Jacob Zuma has urged government departments and provinces to pay businesses, particularly small enterprises on time, within the stipulated 30 days of submitting legitimate invoices. “Failure to pay on time has a negative impact on our economy, especially on the small businesses, which run the real risk of being squeezed out of business activity,” said the President. The President was speaking at a meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) at Tuynhuys in Cape Town this week. Several important issues were discussed aimed at promoting coherence and efficiency in the delivery of services between the three spheres. The PCC…

St. Andrew’s pupil Dale Jevon, who was fifth in the inaugural South African National Geography Olympiad, receives his prize from Prof. Di Wilmot as College HM Alan Thompson (left) and Head of Geography Mandy Ladds, look on. St. Andrews was the the top performing school in the Olympiad. Photo: Supplied.

Albany Bowling Club members Kallie Calitz and Gwen Bartlett have been included in Eastern Province men’s and ladies inter-district teams respectively. Bartlett made the Ladies B team and Calitz is a Reserve on men’s team. Photo: Supplied

Grahamstown’s a capella choir, Pro Carmine, will once again raise money for the Grocott’s Mail’s Christmas Cheer Fund at their concert at Christ Church at 7pm on Thursday 30 November. They’ll be singing a variety of Christmas music from ancient to modern with some new items in their repertoire – including contemporary arrangements of traditional carols “I Saw Three Ships” and “Away in a Manger” – as well as some of their particular festive favourites. This year the Christmas Cheer Fund is focusing on Child Welfare’s Ikhaya Losizo Cluster Foster Home Scheme which provides a safe and loving environment for 20 vulnerable children between…

Thandiswa Ngenju is a born and bred Grahamstonian, growing up in Xolani Location at Tantyi but currently renting in Extension 8 Joza. Mother of three children Ngenju enjoyed cooking from a young age. “From my childhood cooking was my hobby and even at school at Nombulelo Secondary School I took Home Economics as a subject, and I feel in love with”. After matric she was not sure what career to follow, but advice from someone close made her convert a hobby into a career, although lack of funding discouraged her. Ngenju was invited to Johannesburg by an uncle, who helped…

The ninth Grahamstown Christmas Market, organised by the Rapportryers and NG Kerk Albanie, is going to be bigger than ever, with more than 60 exhibitors filling up the hall and stage at PJ Olivier school. Hours on Thursday 30 November and Friday 1 December are 10am to 7pm and on Saturday 2 December, 9am to 3pm. The now famous Coffee Shop  with their wide range of cakes and eats will be back in the foyer, as well as  an ice cream parlour. Light meals will also be served over lunch and supper time. Enjoy it with a craft Featherstone-brewed beer…