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
ADVENTURE ON THE JOURNEY
Sixteen days under the belt and five to go. That’s the state of the John Jones Fish River Journey involving more than 150 grade 10 pupils of Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) and St Andrew’s College, which started near Graaff-Reinet a fortnight ago and finishes at the Fish River Mouth east of Port Alfred next week.
The young adventurers are split into five groups, with each having to tackle the cloud-reaching Nardousberg mountain range outside Graaff-Reinet before taking on the other legs in the saddles of mountain bikes, on foot by hiking and running, and paddling in canoes.
Community service has included painting school buildings.
Along the way, the pupils, led by group leaders, have passed through various towns and districts, including Cradock, Somerset East, Sheldon, Kommadagga, Hellspoort, Douglas Heights, Fraser’s Camp, Coombs and Shaw Park.
The aim of the arduous Fish River Journey is to challenge the Grade 10 pupils to extend their boundaries and build strength and resourcefulness, with teamwork an essential factor.
A former journey participant said: “It is challenging, enjoyable and memorable.”
Today sees Group One hiking between Waterkloof and Misty Hill farms, Group Two involved in an activity in the Hellspoort area, and Group Three running in relays from Dikkop Flats to Douglas Heights.
Group Four are riding mountain bikes from Cloudlands farm to Lakeside farm, and Group Five are performing community service in Riebeeck East.
SILENT NIGHT AND THE ANGELS
The Rotary Club of Grahamstown (Makhanda) is hopeful the Cathedral will be packed to capacity from 7pm this evening when Rotarians present the 69th Carols by Candlelight pageant.
Rotarians will also be hoping it will not be a silent night in the cavernous city centre building, and that residents and school pupils will sing their hearts out.
Among the carols expected to be sung heartily by the congregation are O Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, Joy to the World, Little Town of Bethlehem and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
Pageant co-ordinator Sally Terry said the Carols by Candlelight was also a fundraiser for children in need.
“This year we hope to make a difference for the children in the grade R class at George Dickerson Primary School, as well as Care Hugs ECD Centre in Extension 10,” she said.
Terry added: “We encourage families to come along to the Cathedral to be part of this wonderful evening.”
There is a R10 entrance fee and those attending are encouraged to bring toys for distribution to needy children.
ONE BIG MARKET
Representatives of Calitzdorp Cellar have come all the way from the Western Cape
as one of more than 40 stallholders at this year’s Christmas Market that got underway in the Neels Heunis Hall at PJ Olivier yesterday and continues until December 3.
Calitzdorp Cellar has had a stall at the market previously, and has twice been awarded Champion Co-operative Winery of the Little Karoo.
The market, hosted by the NG Kerk, also includes stallholders from Gqeberha and the Ndlambe region, plus a good number from Makhanda.
The market is open from 10am to 7pm today and tomorrow and from 9am to 3pm on Saturday. The very popular NG Kerk coffee shop will be open and serving light meals, snacks and sweet treats.
Among the stallholders are: Kisma Kreative; Personalise Me; Meryl’s Jewellery Fayre; Meisie’s Sweet Treats; Boredom Busters; Bathurst Birdman; Rosy Regards; Eva Natuurlik; Blu Robin; Mitford Park Farm Products; SPCA Charity Shop; Serendipity; Lucy’s Farm Bakery; Bak Kapperjolle; Blackwood Treasures; Table Top Miniature Gardens; and M & D Creations.
“There will be something for everyone, from food items to beautiful gifts for adults and children,” said convenor Mariette Barnardt.
PURPLE HAZE
On Sunday, the jacaranda trees in Makhanda were blooming, the rain was falling, and the blossoms were dropping.
It looked beautiful, this purple carpet, but do be careful when walking on them when they’re wet. There may be some slipping too!
POTHOLED NEW TAR
A year or two ago a company from Gauteng did a grand job resurfacing four streets in the centre of Makhanda.
However, not too long after completing the work, two large potholes appeared outside the Drill Hall in Hill Street.
Mention was made in this column, but months later, the potholes are still there.
One would assume it’s the responsibility of the contractor to repair the potholes, but at the same time the onus should be on the municipality to insist on the potholes being being fixed. After all, it’s a new road.
NEXT PHASE
Matric examinations are, as they say, done and dusted. So begins the next phase of these young peoples’ lives, many off to university or other tertiary institutions to study further, and others seeking and gaining employment in various fields.
Good luck and best wishes to all Makhanda’s matrics for the future.
Meanwhile, thousands of Rhodes University students have finished writing their end-of-year examinations as well, and most will be back next year to continue their studies towards their respective degrees.
To those who will be graduating next year and are entering the employment market in the big, wide world out there, best wishes for the future, and go well.
TESTING TIMES
Talk of the Town received an invitation to attend the official opening of the new Makana vehicle testing station in Rautenbach Road in the industrial area on November 15.
The centre was to be opened by the executive mayor, Yandiswa Var,
The writer was unable to attend due to a prior arrangement.
Mention was made in the invitation that the opening was an “important event”.
Despite requests for information on the testing station and its opening, nothing has been forthcoming from the municipality.
SECURING THE CITY FOR 30 YEARS
Congratulations to Hi-Tec Security on its 30th anniversary in Makhanda.
Several clients popped into the Hi-Tec premises in New Street last Friday to enjoy cupcakes and ‘nibbles’ at its celebratory party. One of them was local resident Liz Parkins, who has been a Hi-Tec client for the full 30 years.
THANK YOU FOR GATES
SPCA Grahamstown has expressed its sincere gratitude to Animal-Kind International (AKI) for being the major contributor to its “Who let the dogs out“kennel project.
This entailed PH Welding manufacturing and installing new gates for the dog kennels.
A SPCA spokesperson said: “Best of all is seeing the dogs watching everything from their kennels without having to stretch to see out. This will have such a positive impact on the dogs’ wellbeing.”
YOUNG SCIENTISTS
Caca Hobongwana of Kingswood College and Ali Mehdi of Graeme College will represent Makahanda a the Eskom Expo
for Young Scientists at the Eskom Expo International Science Fair at Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Gauteng, from December 7 to 9.
FLOODLIT ON THE GREENS
The 28th anniversary of the Grahamstown Bowling Club’s inter-company night bowls league takes to its manicured greens from February 13 to March 17 next year, with one major change to the competition’s format.
Sponsored for the past few years by Pepper Grove Pick n Pay, the 2023 edition of the hugely-popular competition has one major change.
Whereas all previous events have been contested by teams of four players, next year’s bowls extravaganza will see teams comprising three bowlers each.
These teams represent Makhanda companies and businesses, university departments, service clubs, staff from local schools, and other organisations.
The closing date for entries is February 1 or once 48 teams have entered, whichever comes first. For more details contact convenor June McDougall via email at june.mcdougall@gmail.com.
SEVENTY IN THE GARDENS
Gloomy conditions greeted the 70 runners and walkers at Saturday’s parkrun in Makana Botanical Gardens, with Cathy Meiklejohn celebrating her 50th parkrun finish on the day.
Those nearing the 50-mark are Micky Oscar (49), Natash Musarurwa (46), David Molony (42) and Chanelle Musarurwa (41). Also closing in on 50 parkruns is Craig Bailie who completed his 47th on Saturday, accompanied by young Annabeth Bailie who has just one to go to her 10th.
Meanwhile, Mark Hazell has ten to go to his 200th parkrun and Cee-Jay Porthen 11 to his 200th. Monde Duma has seven to go to his 150th parkrun.
Parkruns are held at 8am each Saturday from the entrance to the botanical gardens in Lucas Avenue.
WILDCATS, REBELS AND GHOSTS
The Oval sportsground in Blackbeard Street was packed to capacity last Saturday when Brumbies Rugby Club hosted its annual Fabian Juries community fun day that boasted 10s rugby, netball, various stalls and activities that kept children entertained.
Various Makhanda communities entered rugby and netball teams, and there were some rather interesting names among them.
There were the Hooggenoeg White Bulls, Fingo Villagers, Vergenoeg Eagles, Joza Kings, Cellotape Wildcats, Tantyi Rangers, Currie Park Rebels, Ghost Town Lions and Vukani Stallions.
HONOURS AND CAPS
Kingswood College has awarded sports honours to Luke Kelly (cricket), Jamie Lacey (waterpolo) and Yolo Nxusani (rugby).
Meanwhile, Catherine Williamson was congratulated at the Kingswood sports awards assembly last week on her impressive achievement of 100 caps for the school’s 1st waterpolo team. She has been playing at that level since grade 9.
Also receiving 100 caps at the function were Jessica Gleaves and Luke Kelly, both for the Kingswood 1st tennis team.
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RECORD IN THE ROUGH
There was great excitement on the Graeme College campus last week when CJ Jeggels broke the Under 13 crosscountry record that had stood for no less than 17 years.
This earned the young athlete the title of “Sportsman of the Week” at the school.
Jeggels completed the course in 11 minutes 11 seconds, beating the record set in 2005 by four seconds.
Other junior cross-country winners were: U7 – Josh Smith; U8 – Tom Mann; U9 – Jaden Smith; U10 – Julian Boy; U11 – Ethan Crous; and U12 – Connor Holder.
BAT AWARDED
Old Andrean president Antony Clark presented the Old Andrean bat to St Andrew’s College 1st team cricketer Sibusiso Mxube for his outstanding batting for the St Andrew’s 1st Xl in their cricket match against Old Andreans. Old Andreans won by four wickets.
LAST TRAIN TO ALICEDALE
Last week, mention was made in this column of trains gliding along the then shiny (unlike rusty these days) railway tracks between Alicedale and the then Grahamstown.
Sadly, the trains are no more and the tracks are impassable.
A former Grahamstonian now living in Durban and who is a regular reader of this column writes: “My first train ride was from Grahamstown to Alicedale when my father took my sister and me for a Saturday afternoon treat.
“And one other memory of Alicedale is of the day a bunch of us left for our army service. When the train stopped at Alicedale, a group of us leapt off the train and stormed to the Alicedale Hotel and quaffed and guzzled a good few beers!”
Meanwhile, the writer of this column remembers quite clearly the day he boarded a train at the local station in the mid-1960s, headed for Pretoria, via Alicedale, and his nine-month national service.
Then there were the many troop trains that arrived in Grahamstown – some in the early hours of the morning – in the 1970s carrying hundreds of young men off to do their basic training at 6SAI.
Indeed, the local railway station was a real buzz with all the activity – goods, passengers and plenty of shunting.
Today it’s an abandoned, forgotten strip of land with buildings falling apart and, in some instances, carried away.
SNEEZEWOOD HAD ITS USES
Former Grahamstonian and ex-business manager of Kingswood College, David Stevens, writes as follows regarding the article “Jubilee Tunes and Comedy” in last week’s column and which made reference to Boet ‘n Swaer and their sneezewood fencing poles.
He writes: “The reference to sneezewood fencing poles reminded me of the sneezewood posts and wire fence on the Ayliff Street boundary of Kingswood’s School House.
“When a few of the sneezewood posts were removed some years ago, an Old Kingswoodian crafted various items of memorabilia from the wood and I was fortunate to acquire a heavy paperweight in the shape of an orb.
“He also made a ceremonial gavel hammer and plate out of the wood for use by the chair at College Council meetings.”
ON THE GREY SIDE
Grey Street meanders its way into Makhanda from the N2 bypass, with the Rhodes University Law Department to one side, and private dwellings and a Rhodes residence on the other.
Before Rhodes took possession of these properties, the Grahamstown Training College produced hundreds upon hundreds of teachers.
Anyhow, an interesting fact about Grey Street is that in the late 1800s the street was known as Sir George Grey Street. He was governor from 1854 to 1861.
The former Grahamstown Training College campus (affectionately known as ‘TC’) was acquired by Rhodes in 1975.
THE EARL WAS HERE
It was a little more than 22 years ago that the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset welcomed guests to its glamorous “A Night under African Skies” banquet with HRH the Earl of Wessex, CVO Prince Edward, as guest of honour.
It was quite an occasion and took place in a marquee on Upper Field below the Clock Tower on the St Andrew’s College campus. Were you present, and what recollections do you have? E-mail sidp@imaginet.co.za