NEIGHBOURLY NOTES
THIS weekend sees a host of sporting events taking place from Cannon Rocks to the Fish River. Starting today (Thursday) and running through until Saturday, is the Cannon Rocks Kiteboarding Classic. This annual event is perfectly suited to our autumn windy conditions, and the sight of tens of kiteboarders in the air and on the water is truly one to be witnessed. Also running from today until Sunday, for those who enjoy the martial arts, the WUKF Africa Invitational and SASKA National Championships will take place at the Fish River Sun Hotel. Then, on Saturday, runners will take part in the Buco Kowie Striders 10/27km race. The brave boys and girls tackling the 27km race will start at the Big Pineapple in Bathurst, while the less ambitious (or more sensible) runners will begin at the Port Alfred Country Club, where both races finish. All this as well as schools and local rugby/soccer/netball matches in the area means it should be an excellent sporting weekend for all. AN on-going concern is the violence witnessed at our tertiary educational institutions, where #FeesMustFall protestors have engaged with police and private security forces to demand free education for all. In scenes reminiscent of South Africa in the 1980s, we see people scattering as police fire tear gas canisters, stun grenades and rubber bullets into crowds of protestors. And, more akin to the 1960s, we see students placing flowers into the barrels of police guns as a way of showing that the protestors themselves are merely exercising their democratic right to protest. But this is not the whole story. Certain groups are determined to disrupt and destroy the established universities by any means, including looting, burning and violence. Their call for the de-colonisation of universities appears to have been taken seriously by the administration, even though no one really knows what that means. Anyone not supporting the closure of universities is targeted as a traitor. But is it not the democratic right of all students to choose to attend classes and not take part in what have become riots on the various campuses? With the parliamentary hearings regarding the SABC today we might finally have a resolution to the Hlaudi Motsoeneng debacle. Motsoeneng is the discredited and former chief operating officer (COO) of the SABC who has virtually no academic qualifications (but lied about having them). The ANC has now joined in the call for Motsoeneng’s removal and want the entire board to be removed. The irony is that, as the ruling party, it was the ANC who allowed the man’s appointment in the first place. Let’s hope the hearing will bring an end to the matter once and for all. HAPPY birthday greetings and congratulations to everyone celebrating special days in the week ahead, especially Calla van Heerden, Barry Griggs, Joan Strachan, Andy Swanepoel, George Meiring, Norma Mysell, Grant Mouton, Bronwyn Murray, Tanja Jacobs, Audrey Long, Andrea Kemsley, Chris Avis, Elmien Kew, Eric Garner, Hennie Marais, Lauren Snyman, Lynette Shelton, Jocelyn Kirkup, Monique Hunke, Hallé Hilpert, Nick Sousalis, Dianne Loots, Eric Evezard, Wally Hill, Linda Schlemmer, Joy de Bruin, Gordon Naysmith, James Mpolongwana, Sarah-Jane Taljard, Glenn Bowles, Felix Shepherd, Isobel Taute, Riley Hilpert, Charles Watson, Carla Gailey, Louw Potgieter, Kristen Bunge, Chris Johnson, Rosita Winter, Ben Kember, Greta Buisson-Street, Lauren Teixeira, Lucinda de Vos, Margie van Lier, Hennie de Bruin, Elizabeth Vandermeulen, Doreen van Damme, Kerryn van der Walt, Dot Thorburn, Kristy Henderson, Karen Lee, Alf Steck, Lizelle Rielly, Liz Briggs, Nick Howard, Brenda Shelton. CONGRATULATIONS to all businesses and organisations celebrating another anniversary and good wishes for further success to GBS Mutual Bank (on 139 years), Tectronic, Happy Hours Preprimary, Top Carpets and Floors (Grahamstown), Postnet, Cosi Home and RD Patternmakers, West Side Assemblies Church and Coastal Car Care. THE price of Brent crude has steadily risen over the last few days, and is currently over the $50 a barrel mark while, at the same time, the British pound has slumped to a 31-year low against the US dollar. The markets are quite volatile at the moment and this is both good and bad news for South Africa. The low value of the pound is good for imports (it costs almost 20% less rands than six months ago), but not good for exports. At the time of going to press, the rand was trading at R13.73 to the dollar (R13.46), R17.48 to the pound (R20.59) and R15.40 to the Euro (R15.12). Gold was trading at $1 272.71 ($1 147.03), Platinum at $995.00 ($992.50) and Brent crude oil at $51.31 ($52.86). SPECIAL thoughts and prayers are with all those folk who are not well, who are having or have already had tests, operations and treatments. "Sterkte" to Roy Potter, Andrew de Vries, June Hart, Linda Hulley, Val Kilian, Ben Kember, Blake Squires, Llewellyn Wicks, Philly Dell, Myrna Keet, Barbara Tee, Bevan Edwards and Brenda Shelton. WE were sorry to hear of the passing of Patricia Norma (Pat) Lee on September 29. Our commiseration to her children, family and friends. Her funeral will take place at Port Alfred Baptist Church, 25 York Road on Friday at 12 noon. CONDOLENCES to family and friends of Audrey Long who died peacefully on Tuesday evening. May you all find solace in a life well lived and cherish the memories you have of her in your hearts. HAPPY wedding anniversary wishes for many more years ahead of continued happiness, especially to Terry and Sonia Blenkinsop. Jim and Pauline Reynolds, Hans and Jo-Anne Fourie, Dave and Delene Hawkins, Luke and Cindy Charter, Brett and Ingrid Newcombe, Dries and Annatjie Liebenberg, Gilbert and Marlene Coetzee, Wayne and Lizelle Rielly, Mauritz and Ria van der Merwe, Rob and Dee Joiner, Ronald and Junette Smith, Hans and Jo-Anne Fourie, Bill and Hazel Whitham and Rob and Dianna Owsley. WEDDING congratulations to Keith and Lisa (nee Morrissey) Buhr who tied the knot on Saturday October 1. We wish Mr and Mrs Buhr a long and happy life together. IT was a great weekend for South African sport (and not so good for Australia) last week, with the Proteas winning the second of five ODIs and leading the series 2-0 against the Aussies, and the Springboks with their hard-fought win against the Wallabies 18-10 at Wanderers. In rugby, the Boks take on arch-rivals the All Blacks on Saturday at Growthpoint Kingsmead, Durban. Let’s hope for another sporting victory. Goodness knows, we need some cheering up. THOUGHT for the week: “Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something and it’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit”. BEST regards as always, The Team