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Construction truck overturns in TantyiFREAK ACCIDENT: This truck loaded with road construction materials overturned in U...
30/07/2025

Construction truck overturns in Tantyi

FREAK ACCIDENT: This truck loaded with road construction materials overturned in U Street, Tantyi on Monday. It is not clear what caused the accident, but an eyewitness said the driver apparently lost control when he tried to reverse in order to offload. According to onlookers no one was injured. Photo: Luvuyo Mjekula

29/07/2025

HAPPENING NOW: Makhanda residents who "illegally" occupied vacant municipal land in Joza are locked in a heated meeting with Makana Municipality leadership at the Indoor Sports Centre in Joza. Mayor Yandiswa Vara is joined by Speaker Mabhuti Matyumza, municipal manager Pumelelo Kate and councillors. Vara said she had asked to meet with a residents' committee but the residents demanded a mass meeting. They are adamant they will go back to the land they named "Empolweni". The residents clashed with police on Monday after they started occupying the land on Sunday.
Video: Luvuyo Mjekula

MCF and Old Mutual spoil Makhanda seniors By Luvuyo Mjekula Blankets and food parcels were some items Makhanda’s senior ...
29/07/2025

MCF and Old Mutual spoil Makhanda seniors

By Luvuyo Mjekula

Blankets and food parcels were some items Makhanda’s senior citizens received at a Makana Citizens Front (MCF) Mandela Day celebration at BB Zondani Hall on 18 July.

Old Mutual donated the gifts.

MCF leader Lungile Mxube said it was inspiring to watch Makhandans from various communities come together in song and dance to celebrate what would have been the 107th birthday of tat’uMandela.

Mxube said various organisations, from gender activists and disability groups to social movements and multiple NGOs, attended the event.

Chief Desire Jack of the Khoisan was also part of the event.

“Thank you to all of those who attended the highly successful Mandela 107th celebration and worked so hard to mobilise senior citizens, made sure they were available at pick-up points, as well as the catering team,” Mxube declared.

The event was also used for the pre-launch of the MCF’s People’s Water Rights Signature Campaign.

Mxube said that on 9 August, during Women’s Month celebrations, the MCF will officially launch its community soup kitchen and issue anti-corruption certificates to all 200 delegates trained as Makana Citizens Anti-Corruption Brigades.

Details will be announced soon.

MCF lays criminal charges against Makana leadership By Luvuyo MjekulaThe Makana Citizens Front (MCF) has laid fraud and ...
29/07/2025

MCF lays criminal charges against Makana leadership

By Luvuyo Mjekula

The Makana Citizens Front (MCF) has laid fraud and corruption
charges against senior leaders in the Makana Municipality over
the payment of more than R2.6m for a water pump that was never
delivered. The South African Police Service has confirmed the case.

"We can confirm that Makhanda SAPS opened a case of fraud after a report was received that payment was made by Makana Local municipality to a private company for [a] water pump that was never delivered,” spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said yesterday (Thursday).

McCarthy said the case docket was transferred to the Commercial Crimes Intelligence Unit in Gqeberha for investigation and is currently with the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision.

Irregular and unlawful payment

In a sworn affidavit seen by Grocott’s Mail, the leader of MCF, Lungile Mxube, says the payment of millions of taxpayers’ money to Manco Business Enterprise in July 2022 was irregular and unlawful and amounted to fraud and corruption. He argues the municipality should have followed up and recovered the R2.6m.

Mxube says time has lapsed without any evidence of consequence management or any attempt at recovering any misspent funds amounting to more than R3.2 million, including more than R600 000 in compensation to former Engineering and Infrastructural Services director, Asanda Gidana. The SA Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) ruled in Gidana’s favour after the municipality dismissed her over the undelivered water pump.

Mxube alleges that Makana officials and political office bearers had attempted to blindside the council when municipal manager Pumelelo Kate tabled the SALGBC report at a virtual special council meeting in December last year.

Mxube says the intention was to “condone irregular, wasteful and fruitless expenditure”. He proposed that the report be deferred to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee because any premature decision could result in wasteful, irregular and fruitless expenditure, as has been the case. He says Council Speaker Mabhuti Matyumza rejected the proposal.

Mxube argues that Kate, chief financial officer Nomfundo tsangani, mayor Yandiswa Vara and Matyumza are guilty of fraud and corruption and should be charged. He says even councillors who voted in favour of the item in the 2024 meeting should face the music.

He also accuses Manco of deliberately defrauding the municipality and calls for its directors to be criminally charged. “There is a clear violation of the provisions of the Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, Public Finance Management and Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act by [Kate] by Manco or its directors, the
mayor, Speaker and those members of the Makana municipal council who voted in favour of the item or report.”

All officials have a duty of care

Mxube argues that all the officials and political office bearers had a duty of care to look after the taxpayers’ money and exercise the public power and authority delegated to them more responsibly.

“The entire Makana community and all residents are going through a difficult period where their water rights are being violated.” Despite the community’s struggles, Mxube says Gidana unlawfully paid the company, with the full knowledge of Matyumza, Kate and Ntsangani.

He calls on the South African Police Service to act swiftly to investigate and arrest all implicated individuals, bring the matter before a competent court of law, and for the Asset Forfeiture Unit to apply for freezing the assets of all implicated individuals and recover fraudulently spent taxpayers’ money.

“It is perfectly clear that unless the courts intervene, the reckless spending, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in Makana will erode public confidence and will result in the total collapse of the municipality from fulfilling its legal and constitutional obligations in terms of Chapter 7 of the South African Constitution.”

Mxube says as a South African citizen and a public representative, he owes a duty of care both to the oath of office he committed to and to all the citizens of Makana to report crime in a timely manner and to fight corruption and fraud in all of its manifestations.

“I am advised that should no civil action be taken to recover any misspent amounts within three years, prescription closes the window for such recovery. For this reason, a criminal case will soon be the sole remedy as three years will pass on 25 July 2025.”
Grocott’s Mail sought to get a comment from both the municipality and Manco but was unsuccessful.

Photo caption: MCF councillors (from left) Kungeka Mashiane, Lungile Mxube (the leader of MCF) and Philip Machanick. Photo: Luvuyo Mjekula.

Chaos in Makhanda as residents and police clashBy Luvuyo Mjekula Makhanda residents clashed with police throughout the d...
29/07/2025

Chaos in Makhanda as residents and police clash

By Luvuyo Mjekula
Makhanda residents clashed with police throughout the day yesterday, refusing to back down on their "illegal" occupation of vacant municipal land in Joza.
Residents blockaded all major roads in Joza with burning tyres and rocks, forcing motorists to find other routes.

Law enforcement had their hands full on the main road from Eluxolweni towards Qonce and Fort Beaufort, as the protestors dumped large rocks and other rubble onto the busy route. The Ncame Street intersection near Nombulelo High School, the recently paved stretch near the Indoor Sports Centre in Extension 6, were also blockaded, with rocks strewn all over the road surface.

In response, Public Order Police (POPS) fired teargas and stun gr***des at the crowds while other police members cleared the rubble strewn on the roads. A few residents of Eluxolweni, the settlement closest to the action, claimed police fired into their homes. Grocott's Mail spotted two tear gas canisters in front and back of a house in the area. The residents accused the police of using unnecessary force, stating they were engaged in a peaceful protest when the law enforcers first fired at them.

The confrontation comes after nearly 2,000 residents attempted to occupy a stretch of vacant land across the road from Extension 5 in Joza on Sunday. Scores of people gathered on the stretch of land, digging with picks and planting wooden poles to demarcate sites. They even named their would-be new settlement "Empolweni", isiXhosa for a place to relax. The residents said they were desperate to have their own homes. Some said they were tired of paying rent. One middle-aged woman said she had been renting for 20 years and can no longer afford it.

The group carried on with their occupation despite calls from authorities to stop, prompting a strong response from a POPS team who fired teargas and stun gr***des to remove the residents, before declaring the place a crime scene. This was because a land invasion case had been opened with the police. However, before POPS arrived, an agreement had been reached between the residents and Makana Municipality mayor Yandiswa Vara, who addressed the crowd on the land in question.

Vara explicitly told the residents their actions were illegal and the law would take its course if they carried on. She said the land was earmarked for commercial purposes. There was to be a meeting between the parties involved yesterday morning to try and find common ground. However, instead of a meeting, the residents took to the streets, claiming Vara had reneged on the agreement reached on Sunday.

A residents' leader who asked to remain anonymous told Grocott's Mail Vara had lied to them in order "to buy time for the municipality to apply for a court interdict against us". Grocott's Mail learned late yesterday that a team of officials from Bhisho had arrived in Makhanda and met with municipal leadership at City Hall. It was expected the government officials would later address the protesters.
This is a developing story.

Traffic department to be fully functioning 'in due time' By Chalotte MokonyaneAfter eight months of significant inconven...
28/07/2025

Traffic department to be fully functioning 'in due time'

By Chalotte Mokonyane

After eight months of significant inconvenience for residents, the Makana Municipality Traffic Department has reopened its doors. As of this week, the department is now providing services for the renewal of driving licenses, PrDPs, vehicle registration, and vehicle license renewals. This comes after the department's closure in November 2024 due to unsafe building conditions, forcing community members to travel to Port Alfred for these essential services.

A recent media statement from the Makana Municipality confirmed these new operational services, with a promise to communicate further regarding other offerings "in due course". A visit to the department revealed these services are indeed being provided. Senior licensing clerk Grace Mpahla confirmed the availability of these specific services during a tour of the facility.

However, the journey to full functionality is not yet complete. Mpahla clarified that learner's and driving license tests are still unavailable until further notice. Makana spokesperson Anele Mjekula shed some light on this ongoing delay: "The Department of Transport is now awaiting permission to install equipment in the new building." He said this should be done by Friday.

Land invasion standoff in MakhandaBy Luvuyo MjekulaPublic Order Police (POPS) fired teargas and stun gr***des to remove ...
28/07/2025

Land invasion standoff in Makhanda

By Luvuyo Mjekula

Public Order Police (POPS) fired teargas and stun gr***des to remove nearly 2,000 Makhanda residents who started to demarcate sites for occupation on the vacant land known as the Old Golf Course, near the R67, early yesterday morning.

People had arrived with equipment to mark off sections of the empty ground. They arrived with shovels and picks, they were digging holes for wooden poles and attaching string to mark off areas of occupation. The area was a scene of intense activity with dozens of vehicles lining up the stretch of national road.

Senior police officials, including Makhanda station commissioner Mbulelo Pika, were at the scene and warned the residents to stop marking off sections of land and disperse.

Makana Municipality mayor Yandiswa Vara, who had rushed to the scene, could not convince the scores of defiant residents to stop. Vara had told them their actions were illegal and the law would take its course if they did not stop. But the activity continued.

Then, POPS members arrived at the scene and forced the visibly angry residents out of the area. Police spokesperson, Captain Marius McCarthy, said POPS used one stun gr***de and one smoke gr***de to disperse the group.

McCarthy said after a meeting was held involving Vara, a decision was made to continue meeting today, but "a splinter group" refused to stop demarcation of land.

Makana Municipality spokesperson Anele Mjekula said in a statement, the municipality had opened a land invasion case. Mjekula said the residents intended to erect informal structures or build houses on land that is zoned for commercial use.

Municipal officials and councillors, led by Vara, had visited the scene to engage the residents, he said. Vara had faced the agitated crowd and calmly explained the reasons why they could not build houses on the land.

“[Vara] explained that the land they wanted to occupy had been earmarked for business developments and that they were not allowed to build on that land. Despite the explanation, the residents insisted that they would forcefully build houses on the land.

“Among the issues raised during the meeting in support of the illegal land occupation were the lack of housing developments for local people. In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, the residents were advised to form a committee which would formally engage with the municipality on a way forward on the need for housing developments.”

Mjekula said the municipality had opened the door for more engagement in hopes of finding an amicable solution to the problem.

Broken laminator leaves Makhanda residents without library cardsHill Street Library unable to issue cards for three mont...
28/07/2025

Broken laminator leaves Makhanda residents without library cards
Hill Street Library unable to issue cards for three months

By Sphosetu Mpakanyiswa and Thandolwethu Khumalo

Residents seeking library cards at Makhanda's main Makana Library have been turned away for over three months due to a broken laminating machine. This creates a significant access problem as the city's library system is not integrated.

The Hill Street Library has been unable to complete library card applications since May, with staff telling residents to return at an unspecified later date. While some residents have tried to obtain cards from other branches like Duna and Extension 9 libraries, this offers limited relief as each library operates independently – meaning a Duna Library card cannot be used to borrow books from Hill Street or other branches.

The situation is further complicated by the closure of Fingo Library for renovations, which has been delayed due to contractor issues and won't reopen until at least June 2026.

A Rhodes University student who attempted to get a card twice – once in May and again in July – was told during her second visit that the library's non-functioning laminator doesn't even belong to the facility.

"The staff member said they weren't sure if the laminator would ever work again or when they'd get a new one," the student said.

Cathy Gush from the Friends of the Library said the group was never informed of the problem by library staff, but may consider funding a replacement laminator at their next meeting.

Makana Municipality spokesperson Anele Mjekula said the municipality is "attending to the issue" and that the Community Library is assisting with card production. However, residents interviewed said they were never referred to alternative services.

The delay in replacing equipment costing approximately R600 on Takealot has again raised questions about municipal priorities and service delivery in the city.

Photo caption: It has not been possible to join the Hill Street Library for at least three months.

Nine game reserves challenge wind farm approval in High Court battleBy Gcina NtsalubaNine private game reserves are chal...
26/07/2025

Nine game reserves challenge wind farm approval in High Court battle

By Gcina Ntsaluba
Nine private game reserves are challenging the government’s approval of a controversial wind farm near Makhanda in the Eastern Cape High Court, claiming
critical environmental protections were ignored in the decision-making process.
The Indalo Association, representing reserves including Shamwari, Kwandwe, Lalibela and Kariega, filed court papers in June 2025 seeking to overturn Environment Minister Dion George’s December 2024 decision to approve the 25-turbine Albany Wind Energy Facility.

The Martial Eagle factor:
A striking revelation at the heart of the legal challenge: an active Martial Eagle nest was discovered in the proposed development area during fieldwork in August 2022.
However, this critical information appears to have been overlooked in the approval process. Industry standards require a 6km protective buffer around any Martial Eagle nest site. This requirement would force removing 11 of the 25 approved turbines,
potentially making the project financially unviable.

The Martial Eagle is listed as “Endangered” in the newly published Regional Red Data Book of Birds 2025, with South Africa’s population estimated at only 950 – 1,100 mature individuals. At least 10 Martial Eagles have already been killed by operational wind farms in the country, according to court documents.

Photo capture: A Martial Eagle in flight. This bird is listed as “Endangered” in the newly published Regional Red Data Book of Birds and at least 10 Martial Eagles have already been killed by operational wind farms in the country. Photo: Harold Gess.

Did you grab your copy of this week's? You'll find the full story at: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CATovEZxNZxHXjBnPYUxMY

Rising rugby stars make their markBy Nomfundo MbathaThis is a proud moment for Graeme College and Makhanda as two talent...
26/07/2025

Rising rugby stars make their mark

By Nomfundo Mbatha
This is a proud moment for Graeme College and Makhanda as two talented teenagers are charging into the national spotlight after being selected to represent
South Africa’s U18 Springbok squad. This is a dream come true for young athletes Erin Nelson (17), in Grade 11, born and raised in Makhanda, and Lucretia Magau (17) in Grade 10, from East London, who have earned their Springbok call-ups after stand
out performances at the Craven Week tournament in Mpumalanga. Their selection comes after months of hard work, injuries, and moments of self-doubt, but today, they proudly wear the green and gold.

“I was disappointed after we lost 74-24 against the Bulls,” he said, remembering when everything changed. “But when they told us we were staying behind because we had been selected for the U18 national team, I did not care about the score anymore. I was over the moon.” Nelson, a fullback and wing, started playing rugby in grade 1 and has already had to overcome serious injuries, including an eight-week setback last year. But through it all, he stayed inspired by his hero Cheslin Kolbe. “He is small, but the way he plays with heart, speed, and skill that is what keeps me going.”

Magau, an outside centre, started playing rugby in Grade 4 and quickly fell in love with the sport. “Rugby makes me happy. I have met amazing people through the
game, and it’s become a part of me,” he said. The school’s rugby culture runs deep; balancing academics with high-level sport takes discipline.

“We train hard,” Nelson explained. “Tuesdays and Thursdays are for drills and team sessions. Then we work on our individual positions and match tactics. And still, we have to prep for class.” Competing in the International U18 Series from 3 to 16 August, a tournament that will see them miss three weeks of school but gain invaluable experience on the international stage, is what seems to be a challenge as they embark on this journey.

Photo caption: Graeme College rugby players Erin Nelson (left) and Lucretia Magau have earned their Springbok call-ups after standout performances at the Craven Week tournament in Mpumalanga. Photo: Nomfundo Mbatha.

Have you grabbed your copy of this week;s edition yet? You'll find loads more stories like this at: https://z//chat.whatsapp.com/CATovEZxNxHXjBnPYUxMY

The emotional resonance of the performance results in a standing ovation for the pianistBy Benevolence MazhinjiWhat happ...
26/07/2025

The emotional resonance of the performance results in a standing ovation for the pianist

By Benevolence Mazhinji
What happens to Bach’s Goldberg Variations in the hands of Dr Dominic Daula is nothing short of the pristine sweetness of listening to a harmonious melody that offers you a palpable sense of release from tension. Being the only pianist in this country to carry the Goldberg Variations in his repertoire, his performance’s maturity and serene songfulness stood as a testament to his remarkable artistry and dedication. The Goldberg Variations were initially written for a harpsichord with two keyboards.

This means that playing it on a piano with one keyboard is particularly challenging due to the potential collisions between the hands. Daula said that the performers must find “clever solutions” to avoid playing the same note with colliding hands. This is why I felt so fortunate and privileged to have experienced the variations in live performance.

Are you a fan of Goldberg Variations? You'll find the full story in this week's edition: https://z//chat.whatsapp.com/CATovEZxNxHXjBnPYUxMY

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Grocott's Mail and Grocott’s Live bring you the best and worst of what happens in and around Grahamstown... and everything in between! Still independent after 147 years, serving the town with a mind of its own.