TOTT 21 March 2019

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Talk of the Town 17
DOING A GREAT JOB
The Gift of the Givers organisation has been
doing a marvellous job at easing Makhanda’s
(Grahamstown) water woes since its arrival
in the city several weeks ago.
According to a statement released by
Makana Municipality last week, Gift of the
Givers has drilled four boreholes at Waainek,
two each on the Rhodes University campus
and at Ntsika Secondary School, and one at
the 1820 Settlers National Monument.
Boreholes planned for the near future are
four at Botha’s Hill reservoir, and one each at
the Cathedral in the CBD and at the prison, to
the west of the city.
Meanwhile, 32 JoJo water tanks that were
sourced by Gift of the Givers have arrived in
Makhanda. Once the filtration systems at
Rhodes and Ntsika boreholes are operational,
the tanks will be put up for residents to
collect water.
Gift of the Givers has also sourced two
water tankers that will deliver water regularly
and will be filled up at the Rhodes,
Monument and Ntsika boreholes.
HOT RUGBY ON A HOT DAY AT GRAEME
With all the rain recorded in the district the
past three weeks, convenor Nico van der
Meulen may have been a tad nervous going
into the annual Pam Golding Properties/
Graeme College rugby day last Saturday.
Not to worry, though. All the hard work put
in by him and his team of helpers paid
dividends, resulting in thousands of people –
players, team officials, parents and supporters
– descending on the Graeme campus.
And, as it turned out, the 20 matches were
played in sunny and hot conditions.
The morning session saw big crowds lining
the Marais fields for the U16, U15 and U14
matches, while Somerset field boasted a
massive crowd in the afternoon for the final
three matches of a highly successful day.
The Somerset field action kicked off with a
narrow 12-7 win for Mary Waters High School
over PJ Olivier High, followed by Muir from
Uitenhage defeating Port Alfred High 19-7.
Wrapping up the pre-lunch session on
Somerset, Framesby High from Port Elizabeth
scored a convincing 40-8 win over Queen’s
College from Komani (Queenstown), while
Grey High from Port Elizabeth overwhelmed
Hudson Park High from East London to the
tune of 57-3.
The afternoon session got underway with
Selborne College from East London beating
Marlow Agricultural High from Cradock 33-19.
Then it was the turn of the three Makhanda
(Grahamstown) colleges.
St Andrew’s College surprised its Cape
Town opponents SACS with a hard-fought
27-13 win, and this was followed by
Kingswood College trouncing Pearson High
from Port Elizabeth 31-0.
Then came the main game of the day, that
between hosts Graeme and long-standing
rivals Dale College from King William’s Town.
After 60 thrilling minutes, the teams
emerged with 14 points apiece and the match
was drawn. Graeme’s try scorers were lock
Hlomla Maranene and eighthman Andrew
McCallum.
ESKOM THREATENS CUTS
While most Makhandans (Grahamstonians) –
home owners, businesses, educational
institutions and other organisations –
faithfully pay their electricity accounts each
month, Makana Municipality, it seems, has
fallen far behind in its payments to Eskom.
In advertisements placed in regional
newspapers last week, Eskom stated it would
proceed with bulk electricity supply interruptions
to Makana Municipality from April 2.
Eskom said it will cut bulk supplies
between 6am and 9am, and 5pm and
8.30pm from Monday to Friday, and between
8.30am and noon, and 3pm and 7pm, on
Saturday and Sunday for the first week.
The interruptions will remain in place until
full payment has been made or agreement
reached. But Eskom could, upon 15 days’
notice, disconnect the electricity supply
entirely and indefinitely should the debt
situation not improve.
RUGBY AT GREY
The 1st rugby teams of Graeme College,
Kingswood College and St Andrew’s College
are presently in Port Elizabeth where they are
playing in the Grey High School rugby festival
being contested at 1st team, U16, U15 and U14
levels. In all, 80 matches will be played.
Also taking part are schools’ teams from
Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, East London
and Port Elizabeth.
T h u r s d ay ’s fixtures involving Makhanda
(Grahamstown) schools are: Graeme v St
Alban’s College (9.10am), St Andrew’s v St
John’s College (11.40am) and Kingswood v
Parktown Boys’ High (3.20pm).
S at u r d ay ’s fixtures: Graeme v Marlow
(10.20am), Kingswood v St John’s (11.40am)
and St Andrew’s v Jeppe Boys’ High
(12.50pm).
SAXOPHONES ON STAGE
Grahamstown Music Society presents the
Avena Saxophone Quartet at the National
English Literary Museum (NELM) at 25
Worcester Street on Monday, April 1
(7.30pm). The quartet comprises Nicolas
Allard, Sumika Tsujimoto, Fabio Cesare and
former Kingswood College pupil Adam
Campbell. Tickets are R90 (adults), R70 (pensioners)
and R50 (students). School pupils
and society members will be admitted free.
SQUASH INVITATION
Kingswood College pupils Caitlin Bell, Veer
Bills, Carolina Da Costa and Quintin Shiel
have been invited to attend the SA Junior
closed squash tournament in Johannesburg
from March 28 to 31. The top players from
each province were selected.
REALLY BAD
I suppose it’s something of a futile exercise
to report very bad pothole situations around
town, but just in case Makana Municipality
does come into some money, Market Street
near the rear gate of Inggs Funeral Home is
in a really bad way. Here’s hoping!
HIKING IN THE SOUTH
Next up on the Oldenburgia Hiking Club’s day
hike programme is a 9km circular route on
the southern commonage on Sunday, April 7,
starting and finishing at Rivendell farm.
Hikers will meet in Pepper Grove Mall (in
front of Pick n Pay) at 7.45am and leave at
8am sharp. Non-members are also welcome.
Jono Campbell is the hike leader and will
provide more details at 084-917-3667.
COLOURS FOR TENNIS
Four St Andrew’s College tennis players have
been awarded Colours for the sport – Dylan
POSSESSION: St Andrew’s College first team prop Bame Malesu has possession
of the ball in a move upfield during his team’s match against SACS from Cape
Town during the Graeme College rugby day on Saturday. St Andrew’s caused
something of a surprise by beating SACS 27-13 after leading 14-8 at halftime
Pictures: SID PENNEY
Bowker (re-award), Dylan Marx, Nic Rogan
and Robbie Houghton.
CRICKET AWARDS
Lakhanya Sam was named Graeme College’s
most outstanding all-round player of the
2018/19 season when the school’s cricket
awards were made last week. The players’
player of the year is Siphesihle
Madlongolwana, and the most improved
player award was shared by Riaan
Labuschagne and Aaron Richardson.
IN THE POOL
Five St Andrew’s College players were
members of the Eastern Province squad that
took part in the National U18 Currie Cup
waterpolo tournament in Johannesburg at
the weekend – Matthew Hillary, Ben Jevon,
Josh Cowen, Matthew Dovey and Richard
Leach. Grant MacKenzie, director of
waterpolo at St Andrew’s, was the EP coach.
COUNTRY FAIR ON CITY LORDS
Family fun is what the organisers are aiming
for at the Kingswood Junior School country
fair on the City Lords ground from 5pm on
Friday, March 22.
On sale will be everything from
hamburgers and boerie rolls to pancakes and
curry & rice, plus crafts, while the Grade 7s
will have their own entrepreneurial stalls. A
highlight will be the Kingswood talent show.
IN THE PARKRUN GROOVE
A beautiful morning, a scenic albeit tough
course, a well-organised event and a good
entry. That was parkrun in Makana botanical
gardens last Saturday when 185 runners,
joggers and walkers – plus some members of
the canine community on leashes – took to
the tree-lined pathways.
First finisher was Thoko Sipungu (20
minutes 16 seconds) and first lady was Jess
Ovendale (25 mins 34 secs). Second were
Reuben Thifhulufhelwi (23 mins 08 secs) and
Charlotte Abraham (26 mins 39 secs), and
third were Siviwe Moyake (23 mins 56 secs)
and Nombulelo Luciah (29 mins 09 secs).
Parkruns are held each Saturday at 8am
from the entrance to the botanical gardens.
STABLEFORD IN THE VALLEY
Betterball stableford is the format of play for
the Hospice golf day taking place today
(Thursday) at Belmont Golf Club in Belmont
Valley. Here’s hoping a big field will be out
on the fairways and greens.
FUN ON THE COURSE
Belmont Golf Club holds its next 4km trail fun
run/walk in the scenic surroundings of Belmont
Valley on Sunday, March 24, with registration
from 7am and the start at 8am. Entry
fee is R20 for adults and R10 for children.
ON COURT
The Graeme College U13 tennis team was
ranked second at the Grey Junior School
tennis festival last week, an event that also
attracted Selborne Primary from East London
and Bishops Prep from Cape Town.
Coached by Sheryl Luden, the Graeme
team comprised Tyenu-Josh Cannon,
Cameron Doyle, Jesse McConnachie, Joey
Motsoso, Andrew Muir, Murray Tyson and
Rhys Wiblin.
PHOENIX ON GUNFIRE HILL
It’s hard to believe, really, that it was almost
25 years ago that severe damage was caused
to the interior of the 1820 Settlers National
Monument on Gunfire Hill.
The inferno raged through the building in
the early hours of August 13 1994, twenty
years after the Monument’s opening.
Local resident Emily O’Meara wrote in the
coffee-table book Grahamstown Reflected,
published in 1995: “After a benumbed, silent
Saturday when even the weather went into
melancholy mourning, a true Brit fighting
spirit emerged as messages of support
poured in.
“The Monument would be rebuilt, better
than before. The Phoenix Fund was launched
to help it rise from the ashes.”
I wonder how many visitors to the recent
Scifest Africa stopped to have a look at the
“ar t work” upstairs in the Monument building,
comprising all sorts of metal this and metal
that salvaged from the devastating fire, and
which were welded together to form a
r e m i n d e r.
REMEMBERED
According to an advertisement in the
Grahamstown Publicity Association’s
“Coming Events” brochure of September
1976, Eric Tasmer Picture Framing carried on
business from a workshop behind what is
today Videotronic.
Eric, who died a few years ago, was a real
all-rounder, always willing to assist friends
and others with anything that needed to be
fixed, whether it was mechanical, carpentry
or maintenance work on buildings – any
problem area where skilled hands and tools
were needed.
But his talents did not end there. Those
who were acquainted with him knew of his
passion for all things motoring – motor sport,
organising motoring events from rallies to
gymkhanas and, above all, to restoring motor
vehicles like that “old” Morris Minor I
photographed for a motoring article many
years ago. Eric Tasmer was a man who was
always busy – more often than not busy
helping others.
RACE REWARDS:
After being handed
a pineapple Jess
Odendaal (left), in
Grade 10 at
Diocesan School
for Girls, receives a
finisher’s medal
from Sesona Papu,
in Grade 9 at
Graeme College.
Each finisher of the
Makana Brick 8km
Nite Race received
a pineapple and a
medal