TOTT 25 October 2018

October 25, 2018 ADVERTISING / NEWSDESK: (046) 624 4356 Find us on Facebook
Talk of the Town 21
FUN RUN BENEFITS SPCA
Later today, the Rapportryers service club
and PJ Olivier High School will host their
23rd fun run/walk, an annual event that has,
over the years, raised no less than R193,000
for worthy local causes.
The 2018 event has a 5.30pm start on PJ
Olivier’s main rugby field, and the 5km route
will take runners, joggers and walkers – dogs
are welcome provided they are on leashes –
through the suburb of Sunnyside on the
southern side of town.
The annual event is a real community
effort. Not only does it attract entrants from
across Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), it
has also benefited numerous societies and
organisations over its 23 years.
Past beneficiaries have included
Grahamstown Hospice, Kuyasa Special Needs
School, SA Library for the Blind, Settlers
Close Retirement Centre, House of Joy,
McKaiser Home, St Raphael Centre and
Meals on Wheels.
On the receiving end of the proceeds from
this evening’s event will be Grahamstown
SPCA.
Entry fee is R20 for adults and R15 for
school pupils, and the organisers are always
in a generous frame of mind – not only when
dishing out the proceeds to worthy causes
but also to participants.
Prize money this year totals a whopping
R1,700 with the first male and female
finishers each pocketing R500, the
runners-up R200 and third-placed finishers
R150 each.
But it’s not all about the leading finishers
– medals will be awarded to the first 100
finishers, numerous spot prizes will be
handed out, each finisher will receive a
sachet of fruit juice, and 100 button badges
will be handed out.
WRITING
Rhodes University students are about to start
writing their end-of-year examinations.
Matrics are busy writing their exams, and
pretty soon all the other grades will be
writing their exams. Best wishes to all of you!
WORRYING WATER POSITION
MBB Consulting Engineers has been
re-appointed by Makana Municipality to
attend to water conservation and demand
management issues, according to a
statement released by the municipality last
week. MBB, whose priority focus is to attend
to leaks to conserve water, has managed to
repair some massive leaks, which have
improved the water supply to some areas.
Meanwhile, settlers dam has remained at
the same capacity over the last few months –
27% – and residents are urged to save water
as restrictions are still in place.
The municipal statement urges people to
use no more than 60l per person per day, no
hosepipes are to be used, and the watering
of gardens using municipal water is not
allowed.
Massive amounts of water are being lost
through leaks, and these can be reported by
visiting website w w w. m o b i s a m . n e t or by
phoning 046-603-6063 (office hours) or 046-
622-4444 (after hours).
W H AT ’S IN A NAME
These are my thoughts, thus it is not set in
concrete, if you know what I mean.
To many residents of this once beautiful
city of ours, Grahamstown will always be
Grahamstown. Makhanda is a new name
thrust upon us. But, it should be remembered
that Makana is the name of the municipality
and the district once known as Albany.
Well, that’s that sorted out. Not quite, it
would seem. If, for instance, the
Grahamstown Tiddlywinks Association, or the
Grahamstown Pothole Counters Guild, or the
Grahamstown Satellite Spotters’ Society had
been in existence for many years and they
wished to retain their names, a government
official cannot just come along and change
the names willy-nilly. Or am I wrong?
GOOD SHEPHERD CELEBRATES
It has been quite a week of celebrations for
Good Shepherd School in Huntley Street,
particularly on Tuesday when staff and pupils
visited the Cathedral for the school’s 134th
birthday celebration service and the
installation of its new principal, Manie
Cronje. This year also sees the school
celebrating 100 years in its Huntley Street
building.
CHOIR AT COUNTRY FAIR
Christ Church in Speke Street holds its
country fair from 9am to 1pm on Saturday
October 27, and a feature of the event will be
an hour-long performance by the Pro Carmine
Choir from 11am. On offer at the fair will be
the usual fete stalls including a tea garden,
baked goods, food and a white elephant, plus
children’s entertainment.
GOING, GOING, GONE
I notice – probably belatedly so – that the
red post box at the corner of George Street
and Jackson Street has been removed,
presumably on the instructions of the SA
Post Office. I suspect that many other post
boxes around town have vanished in similar
fa s h i o n .
Readers may well remember that earlier
this year attempts were made to remove
some of our more historical post boxes.
However, some vigilant spotting by
residents prevented this from happening.
Hands off our history!
SAFETY GLOVES
Should municipal refuse collectors not be
wearing heavy-duty gloves when they go
about their duties? Just wondering.
JAZZ AT THE LOWLANDER
The 18-member Rhodes University jazz band
presents its end-of-year concert at The
Lowlander at 10 Worcester Street from 7pm
on Saturday, October 27.
The band will perform various styles of the
big band jazz genre from American and
South African jazz classics to Latin, funk and
other contemporary arrangements.
Entry fee is R20.
CRAFT BEER AT THIS FEST
Featherstone Brewery in Howiesonspoort
holds an Oktoberfest event this weekend
(Saturday from midday to 6pm and Sunday
from midday to 5pm) featuring craft beer
from around the Eastern Cape, accompanied
by some relaxed acoustic live music and
German-style food.
Featherstone Brewery is situated on
Brackenfell farm just off the N2 in
Howiesonspoort, a few hundred metres
before Stone Crescent Hotel.
PARKRUN LANDMARK COMING UP
Provided both are in the starting line-up at
the entrance to Makana botanical gardens
this Saturday, Lynne Henson and Peter
Stockwell will achieve significant parkrun
landmarks. Since the inception of
Grahamstown parkrun, Henson and Stockwell
have each completed 199 and are due to
tackle number 200 on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Paul Caiger completed his
50th parkrun last Saturday, while four
participants are fast approaching their 100th
parkrun – Nqabisa Bridget Mazwai (98),
Mariss Stevens (98), Angie Marriner (95) and
Rasayi Mdlankomo (94).
Parkruns are held at 8am each Saturday
from the entrance to the botanical gardens.
SCOOPING THE SILVERWARE
Among the trophies awarded at the PJ Olivier
High School prize-giving evening last week
were six whose recipients’ names were not
known until the moment they were awarded.
Grade 12 pupil Daniel Retief walked off
with no fewer than three of the trophies –
GBS Mutual Bank Trophy for Dux Student;
Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn Trophy for
Initiative and Resourcefulness; and Boshoff
Trophy for Sportsman of the Year.
Simone Schoonbee scooped two of the
trophies – R de V Olckers Trophy for
Versatility, and Pieterse Trophy for
Sportswoman of the Year. Tony Rudman was
awarded the Old Mutual Trophy for Excellent
Per formance.
SCENIC WIN FOR GRAEME
The first teams of Graeme College and
Alexander Road High School played their
cricket fixture last Saturday in the very scenic
Asante Sana Game Reserve near
Graaff-Reinet. Morning rain saw the match
reduced to 40 overs for each team.
Graeme batted first, managing 191 for 9 off
40 overs, Chris Gleaves and Mark Amm
scoring 46 apiece. Alexander Road was all
out for 96, Garwin Dampies taking 4 for 21
and Mark Amm 3 for 25, and Liam Agnew
putting in a superb spell of bowling, his six
overs conceding only five runs. Graeme won
by 95 runs.
Meanwhile, the Graeme U13A team
defeated Herbert Hurd Primary School by
seven wickets on Saturday.
Scores in brief: Herbert Hurd 58 all out
(Murray Tyson 6 for 9, Onosizo Ntinga 2 for 6
and Ethan Beyleveld 2 for 7. Graeme 59 for 3
(Ethan Beyleveld 46 not out). Graeme won by
seven wickets.
BANKING UP THE RAMP . . .
Well done to Standard Bank for constructing
a wheelchair ramp from the pavement to the
interior of its premises on Church Square.
REMEMBERING
A good turnout of local residents and school
pupils, plus military personnel in uniform,
plus ex-servicemen and women is expected
at the annual Remembrance Day parade on
Church Square from 10.30am on Sunday
November 11.
Oh, and to add colour to the occasion –
besides the many wreaths that will be laid –
the Kingswood College concert band, St
Andrew’s College pipe band and St Andrew’s
cadets will also be in attendance.
At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of
the eleventh month in 1918, the guns fell
silent to end the First World War (1914 –
1918). Remembrance Day is also known as
Poppy Day in many parts of the world.
Who remembers the days when a group of
Grahamstown (now Makhanda) ladies would
gather in groups to make poppies by hand,
using crinkle paper and thin wire? These
days the poppies come in the form of stickers
printed in their thousands.
TIME FOR ACTION IN GEORGE STREET
This is a message to the Makana Mayor, the
relevant minister and others. While you’re in
a renaming mood, why not rename George
Street in Sunnyside “Kyalami Street”.
Walk up and down George Street
sometime and check it out for yourself. You
will be shocked by the speeds at which some
vehicles travel, either driving into the city or
leaving it – cars, SUVs, LDVs, inter-city
ALL ABOARD: One of the more
popular attractions at the
recent Graeme College family
fun fair on Somerset field was
the ‘quad bike train’ t h at
criss-crossed the field taking
people for rides. Here the
driver prepares to take a
group of teenagers around the
field Pictures: SID PENNEY
PROUD PARENTS: Grade 9 pupil Shirley Retief, left, and grade 12 pupil Daniel
Retief with their parents, Joubert and Anna, after walking off the PJ Olivier
High School stage with armfuls of prizes and awards at the school’s annual
prize-giving ceremony last week. Among their prizes were those for achieving
first places in their respective grade classes.
PROUD OF THEIR SCHOOL: One of the
last official duties of the head
prefects of PJ Olivier High School
involved officiating at the school’s
annual prize-giving ceremony last
week when they delivered various
speeches. Here, Chevandre Doyle
(left, deputy chairperson of the
pupils’ management committee) and
Jaydee Murray (right, chairperson of
the pupils’ management committee)
carry the school badge into the
packed hall as part of the
procession at the start of
proceedings
buses, heavy-duty delivery trucks and
motorcycles. I’m not writing this from hearsay
– I walk and drive George Street on a regular
basis. It really is scary at times. Seriously,
some earnest thought should be given to
creating rumble strips and/or speed humps
in that street.
HARROWING TIMES IN HUNTLEY
Oh, my goodness, it just gets worse all the
time. I’m talking about the potholes and
trenches of Makhanda (formerly
Grahamstown), a subject I don’t seem to tire
of. On a recent walkabout in the CBD I was
appalled at the current state of Huntley
Street and the entrance to Coles Lane. Not
only have the pavements in that very busy
street been dug up for the laying of cables,
but several big potholes have also appeared.
The area in Huntley Street below Coles Lane
appears to be in real vehicle-wrecking mode.
Remember, Huntley Street is even busier
during school terms, what with Good
Shepherd Primary, Victoria Primary and
VGHS having entrances leading from it.
TYRES, CLOTHING AND BOOZE
I was parked adjacent to the centre island at
the northern end of Bathurst Street the other
day, and my mind went back several decades
to the mid-1960s as I checked out the various
buildings and businesses.
First to catch the eye across High Street
was Wesson’s (Koch family), the tyre,
exhaust and battery specialists, which traded
as Kingsley Tyre Services back in the 1960s
(Rautenbach), according to the Grahamstown
1966 Directory.
Moving towards Church Square we find
Commemoration Methodist Church (still the
same as it was back in the 1960s) and
adjacent to it the Commem Hall.
Back in the sixties the hall was the office
of Stanley J Dold Auctioneers (John van
Wijk) at 43 High Street.
Next up is Birch’s men’s and women’s
outfitters, and it’s been there like forever.
Staff members’ names I remember from
the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are Ernest Dicks,
Clyde Wallace (still living in Grahamstown),
Sannie Marais, Ernest Luke, Pat Matthews,
Mel Westaway, Shirley Lemmer and John
Penney (the best maker of tailor-made suits
this side of Texas!).
Across the little lane from Birch’s these
days is some municipal department or
project, but back in the sixties it was Joseph
Lawrence & Co Bottle Store (Charlie
Hewson).
EVERY NATION AT NUMBER 10
A short while ago I mentioned that Gary
Banks Refrigeration had moved from 10 Hill
Street to a premises on the corner of New
Street and Anglo-African Street, and that a
church was moving into 10 Hill Street.
Readers may remember that back in the
1960s and 1970s, a church did occupy the
premises. Signs affixed to the 10 Hill Street
building when I walked past the other day
reveal that the current tenant is Every Nation
Grahamstown, whose vision is to disciple
leaders, plant churches and reform nations.
ARTWORK AWARDS
During the recent Balloon Week celebrations,
Diocesan School for Girls and St Andrew’s
College held an art exhibition, during which
various awards were made to pupils: Best
DSG senior artwork – Tayla Kapp; Best St
Andrew’s senior artwork – Andre Renaud;
Best DSG junior artists – Enya Kapp and
Sarah de la Harpe; Best St Andrew’s junior
artists – Ethan Breetzke and Daniel Bradfield;
Lady Helen Crewe Prize – Abigail Mukungu.
STEAK NIGHT AT TINY’S
One of the longest-standing members of this
community has given me a copy of Tiny’s
Restaurant & Steak House menu that
appeared as an advertisement in a local
publication many years ago. Now, I would
like to know how long ago this menu
appeared in the restaurant.
You may remember that Tiny’s was at 59A
New Street, the same premises as the
present-day Rat & Parrot. Owners at the time
the advert was placed were Judy and George
G r u b e r.
Take a look at some of the prices and
decide whether it was in the 1970s or 1980s –
unfortunately no dates were given in the
advert. The Tiny’s three-course Sunday lunch
was priced at R7.95 and steaks from R5.75.
Then there were vegetarian dishes priced
from R3.55 and desserts from R1.45. Imagine
a salad bar with salads priced from R1.95!
ON THE CORNER
An advertisement in a local publication in
1983 informed readers that MacRae
Volkswagen on the corner of Hill and Dundas
Streets were Audi, VW Golf and VW Jetta
dealers.
A HOTEL AND AN INN
The coffee-table book G r a h a m st o w n
Reflected, written by Emily O’Meara and
published in 1995, contains a chapter titled
“Hotels and Hostelries”. Two establishments
Emily visited during her writings were Hotel
Victoria and Settlers Inn Motel.
Of Hotel Victoria she wrote: “The Hotel
Victoria in New Street, scene of 1001 nights of
student roistering, more vividly recalled by
some Old Rhodians than the hallowed halls
of their Alma Mater.”
Below the 1820 Settlers National
Monument was the Settlers Inn Motel, and its
Flare Path Pub kept the homefire burning in
winter. The author recalled: “It was filled with
photographs assembled by ex-Rhodian RAF
pilot Bert Leach, who got the enterprise off
the ground in 1968.”