Makhanda with SID PENNEY festival city
The city is renowned for its educational institutions, for being the national seat of the judiciary and for its cultural events
LEAVING THE TRENCHES?
In a statement issued last week, the DA in Makana reported on the latest developments regarding the contract to replace asbestos water pipes on local streets with PVC piping.
Headed “Asbestos pipe replacement phase 3 – contractor pulls out during the project”, the statement reported there have been complaints regarding the asbestos pipe replacement project and trenches that have not been closed properly in certain parts of Makhanda.
The statement continued: “Imvu Trading was awarded the contract, and the 2023/2024 budget for phase 3 of the project was R4.3m. The budget was then adjusted upwards to R9.3m and then to R13.7m.”
The DA statement concluded: “Makana [municipality] would have to redirect its budget in a drastic way to buy any tar at all, at present, and Imvu is allegedly packing up and leaving on Wednesday this week [statement issued on Monday, March 25], so it is unclear at this point what the outcome will be.”
A press release in the possession of this column’s writer from Makana Municipality, dated March 10 last year, states that the contract duration was six months and the planned completion date by IMVU Construction was July 20 2023.
Suburbs and streets in the contract included Sunnyside, Somerset Heights, Currie Park, Milner Street, Cradock Road, Valley Road and Park Road.
NEW ARRIVAL TO FIGHT FIRES
In the wake of several bush fires on the commonage around Makhanda that threatened properties in recent weeks, Makana Municipality took delivery of a brand new fire vehicle from Sarah Baartman District Municipality last week.
The vehicle will be used for fighting fires and undertaking rescue services in Makhanda and surrounding areas.
Receiving the vehicle on behalf of Makana were fire chief William Welkom, councillor Thandolwethu Vayo, municipal manager Pumelelo Kate, director of public safety and community services Ntombesizwe Notyeke, and director of local economic development Natasha Khoahla.
GRAND BALL ON THE HILL
An evening with an influential Old Rhodian speaker, live entertainment, the opportunity to network with fellow Old Rhodians, make new friends and connect with leaders and innovators in the community. That is what awaits Old Rhodians attending the black-tie Rhodes University Alumni Grand Ball in the Monument on Friday, April 5 (7.30pm), with tickets priced at R350 per person, including cocktails and dinner.
BRIGHTEN UP THE STREETS
There will be a glow on Makhanda ’ s streets come Tuesday, April 16 when SPCA Grahamstown holds its annual glow walk and fun run over a choice of two routes – 1.5km and 4.5km.The start is at the Grahamstown Bowling Club in African Street at 5.30pm.
Entries will be taken from 4pm. Family entries cost R35, individual R20, and dogs are welcome provided they are on leashes.
The message from the organising committee to participants is: “Dress up bright, sparkly, glow-in-the-dark and light up our roads like never before.”
Among the prizes are those for the best-dressed family, best-dressed individual and best-dressed canine friend.
IN THE MEDALS
Kingswood College Grade 10 pupil Emily Poultney competed in the 2024 WUKF SA karate national championships and AfroAsia Open in Gqeberha last week.
She placed first (gold medal) in team kumite, third (bronze) in Shobu Ippon kumite and fourth in kata and kumite.
PLANT A STREET
According to the “Streets of Grahamstown” listing compiled in the 1960s, four thoroughfares bear the names of trees and plants, but one of them is actually named after a person.
Rose Street, off African Street (at the rear of Oak Cottage SPAR) is named after resident engineer in the 1800s, WG Rose.
However, Firtree Street in Sunnyside, Oak Terrace, in the CBD, and Pear Lane, adjacent to St Andrew’s College, were named after trees growing in those particular thoroughfares.
MUGGINGS ON THE RISE
Several reports of muggings and nearmuggings in the area of Market Square
Mall in lower Beaufort Street have reached this column in recent weeks.
In fact, muggings are known to have occurred in other parts of the CBD as well, and visitors to the area are advised to exercise caution when walking in the area, and not openly display cellphones and other valuables. Take care out there.
THAT BENT-OVER FEELING
What is it with all the bent-over street signs around Makhanda – stop signs, street name signs and yield signs? Is it the result of strong-armed vandalism, overzealous drivers or strong winds?
AMM NEXT IN THE CHAIR
Peter Amm, well-known member of the Andrean community, having attended both St Andrew’s Prep and St Andrew’s College, is the next chair of the St Andrew’s Council.
He will succeed Jacko Maree who announced in December he would be standing down in July 2024.
Amm qualified as a chartered accountant, enjoying a successful career in Johannesburg, including several directorships, before returning to the Eastern Cape.
KC BACK AT THE LORDS IN MAY
The Kingswood College 1st team wrapped up its festival rugby schedule of three matches at St John’s College in Johannesburg on Monday this week, and now has to wait until April 27 for a matchup against Stirling High in East London due to the school holidays.
May will be back to ‘busy’ for the team with matches against Pearson High on Saturday 4 (City Lords), Brandwag High on Saturday 11 (City Lords), Port Rex Technical High on Saturday 18 (City Lords) and Muir College on Saturday 25 (Kariega).
BUSY ON RUGBY FIELDS
Graeme College’s First XV has a busy schedule ahead of them between now and the end of April. After playing at the St John’s Easter Festival in Johannesburg where they came up against SACS, St David’s Marist College and St Benedict’s College, the Graeme squad is now back home and ready to tackle April’s matches. Their schedule for April is: Saturday 6 – v Port Rex Technical High in East London
Saturday 13 – v Cambridge High in East London
Saturday 20 – v Hudson Park High in Makhanda
Saturday 27 – v St Andrew ’ s College at St Andrew’s.
THE BLUES ON RUGBY FIELDS
After various rugby festival appearances in March, the St Andrew’s College First XV has a quiet April with their first vacation of the year, but they will be back in action on Saturday April 27, when they will be part of a full day of derby rugby matches against Graeme College at the St Andrew’s campus.
Then it’s a busy May for St Andrew’s, meeting Parktown Boys’ High (Thursday 2) and Jeppe Boys’ High (Saturday 4) at the Grey High rugby festival in Gqeberha.
Back home, St Andrew’s comes up against Cambridge High on Saturday, May 11 and Grey High on Saturday May 25.
NOT RED ANY MORE
A recent post in this column dealt with the shabby-looking, once all-red post box outside Lewis furniture store on the corner of High and Bathurst streets.
There’s another tatty CBD post box that was previously pasted with posters advertising dubious services and subsequent failed attempts to remove them. This one is outside Nedbank at 94 High Street (old Albany Divisional Council building).
CHANGES FOR THE ‘OCEANS
There was a time, some years ago, when or call (046) 624-4356 good numbers of then-Grahamstown road runners of the long-distance and not-so long-distance variety would head for Cape Town at Easter time for the Two Oceans ultra-marathon and halfmarathon.
The local runners represented Albany Road Runners, Drostdy Harriers and Rhodes University Athletics Club. These days there is still representation at the Two Oceans but nowhere near past numbers.
A big change for 2024 sees the Totalsports Two Oceans 56km ultramarathon taking to Cape Town’s southern suburbs on Saturday April 13, well after Easter, when 14,000 runners are expected to line up in Main Street, Newlands, for the 5.15am start.
Whereas the full marathon and halfmarathon were previously run on the same day, the Two Oceans half-marathon, with an entry limit of 16,000 runners, will be held on Sunday April 14, passing through the suburbs of Claremont, Wynberg and Constantia.
Wonder how many Makhanda road runners – whether they’re members of Albany Runners, Rhodes or other clubs –
will be heading for the ‘Oceans this month?
HOW ABOUT A GOOD WASH?
The building at 92 High Street was once a pristine-looking structure in upper High Street, occupied back in the day by SA Permanent Building Society.
For the past 30 years it has been occupied by the finance department of Makana Municipality (formerly the City Treasurer’s Department of Grahamstown Municipality).
Nowadays, its street-facing walls are dirty and scruffy, and have been so for several years, with little or no attempts made to clean them.
Surely it’s not a mammoth task to clean the walls?