It never rains

It’s difficult not to feel sorry for those officials at Makana Municipality who have been working hard over the past few months to turn around the entity’s dire financial and structural problems.

With light appearing at the end of the tunnel, as local business in the form of the Grahamstown Business Forum, throws its weight behind efforts to steer a sustainable course, and the Province lends its backing to these efforts, Makana is now faced with litigation over the municipal manager post that is starting to look very messy and potentially expensive.

As if that were not enough to deal with, the Makana Unity League has this week filed documents, also in the high court in Grahamstown, that names the Mayor, acting municipal manager and the exco of the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism as respondents in a matter that seeks to convict them of contempt of court for allegedly failing to comply with an 8 September 2015 court order regarding the management and control of the municipal landfill site.

In the 2015 application, the League complained about the type of waste being dumped at the site; the free access to the site by general members of the public and the toxic fumes emanating from the site among other issues.

Two recent events at the dump, namely two weeks of continuous burning during the Christmas period culminating in a fire that destroyed stables at the adjoining riding club, and the recent stabbing of a resident taking waste to the dump, have highlighted the seriousness of the situation.

There is still time to enjoy the Puku Story Festival - happening in Grahamstown this week.

There were wonderful performances at NELM yesterday and there will be more today and tomorrow.

Don’t miss today’s lunchtime installation piece about the sinking of the Mendi. While you’re there, visit the wonderful four-biome indigenous (to South Africa that is) garden.

And support the authors and others at the book display.