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4 EditorialGrocott’s Mail Tuesday, 18 May 2010Liberty and ProgressEstablished 1870Muchas gracias,JuanThe two performances of CarminaBurana at the Guy Butler Theatre onThursday and Friday last week leftaudiences with a sensation of stunned awe,admiration and immense pride.Did we do this? Did this happen in ourtown? Surely you have to go to the big citiesor maybe even Europe to see performancesof this calibre? It was incredible to have onstage such an amazing wealth of musicaltalent. Grahamstown has high expectationsfor a small town in the Eastern Cape becausewe are accustomed to seeing showsof the highest quality. The GrahamstownMusic Society has regular concerts, localschools have more than their fair share ofmusical talent and of course we host theNational Arts Festival which appears to begetting better every year.However, having all these talented musiciansand singers would be of little value ifthey all operated independently. What madethe Carmina Burana performances sospectacular was having so many people onone stage all working in unison to provide apowerful, yet harmonious treat forGrahamstown audiences.It was the experience of having such adiverse group of people, all doing differentthings at the same time that made the eventso memorable. There were various choirsrepresented from TEM Mrwetyana toKingswood College, singers from a varietyof cultural groups and musicians from justabout all ages.The performances were a wonderfulexample of what can be achieved throughunity. The musical talents of Grahamstowngot together and produced something wayabove the ordinary.Last week, there was another remarkableshow of unity when a group of communityleaders got together to protestagainst plans to move the High Court out ofGrahamstown. We don’t know if this unprecedentedstand will ultimately be successful,but at least we can say that we united fora common cause and we gave it our bestshot – something like the performers ofCarmina Burana.Text us your opinions and we might publish themhere. Send an SMS to 082 049 2146Normal rates apply.South Africa’s Oldest Independent NewspaperIncorporating The Grahamstown Journal(1831 – 1920) Vol. 141 No. 36Published by the David Rabkin Project for ExperientialJournalism Training (Pty) Ltd, 40 High Street, Grahamstown,6139Printed by PaarlcoldsetTelephone: 046 622 7222 • Fax: 046 622 7282/3Website: www.grocotts.co.zaE-mail AddressesNews: editor@grocotts.co.zaWebsite: online@grocotts.co.zaAdvertising: adverts@grocotts.co.za or ronel@grocotts.co.zaSport: sport@grocotts.co.zaLetters: letters@grocotts.co.zaGeneral Manager: l.vale@grocotts.co.zaEditorialEditor: Steven LangNews Editor: Abongile MgaqelwaNew Media Editor: Michael SalzwedelStaff Reporters: Prudence Mini, Andile NayikaStaff Photographer/Reporter: Stephen PenneyGeneral Manager: Louise ValeAdvertising Manager: Ronél BowlesGrocott’s Mail is published by theDavid Rabkin Project for ExperientialJournalism, a company wholly ownedby Rhodes University. The contentsof this newspaper do not necessarilyrepresent the views of either body.Warm greetings from the USARhodes student and VG old girl Thandolwethu Zono, who is studying in America on a hockeyscholarship, is a woman of her word. Before she left Grahamstown, she promised Grocott’s Mail shewould keep in touch with her hometownIhave been in Amherst for almostTUESDAYfour months now, and it seemslike just yesterday I was all setand packed, filled with such emotionwww.grocotts.co.za19 JANUARY 2010and boarding a plane to come here.7% salary increase New wing opensGetting fat canThe University of Massachusetts for councillors PAGE 3 at Settlersharm your health(UMASS) has really blown me away.The hockey programme is unlikeanything I have done before. The wayeverything is run, one would thinkwe are a professional team. PlayingASANDARand NAKETIwill soon begin training.hockey here is a fulltime job. Beinga part of this programme has taughtme a great deal of teamwork, commitmentand hard work.Firstly, waking up at six in themorning to walk in the freezingsnowy weather to head to practiceis purple [for Rhodes] and green for VGHS.”was not one of my favourite momentsat all. But now that it is nicerout, it is a pleasure being out on theturf and playing. They most certainlydo not work on African time at all.Punctuality is something the coachesreally enforce.UMASS is MASSive and has awonderful campus. When you areon a campus with just over 26 000Vdoing new things, and seeing places and hopingstudents, you’d tend to feel lost and alone butinto meet up with my American friends who were atthe people are incredibly friendly and welcoming.This is a diverse university with a popular fantastic infulspecials to see familiar Footlong/ faces.Rhodes as exchange students. It will be wonder-the fresher food store the City!Valid from Wed 20 January till Sat 23 January 2010 onlyternational and national exchange programme. Academic subjectsCocktail Farmstyle Bananaweren’t that easy, but• Potatoes 10kg R29.99 Cheesegrillers Boerewors LoavesWhen I say that I am meeting people from everywhere,I literally mean everywhere.currently a Resource 48.99Rhodes was definitely more challenging. I am• Large Crown PumpkinR 9.99eaper kg Economics 38.95per Major kg 9.99each and with• Green grape, peaches, plums R 7.99p/kgMy other consolation is that I come• Gem squashfrompocketthe differentR 9.99setup of the academic year I will bea student town, and Amherst is just that, • Butternut plus pocket classified R19.99 as a third year student in SeptemberCollege is college… I couldn’t go wrong with 19 Hill Street Grahamstown that. when our 046 622 3258 2010 academic year begins.We have just finished the academic year andare on summer break. So university only commencesagain in the first week of September. I’mThe hockey season only begins in August,which will be exciting. I am really looking forwardto it. You can catch our home games live onAn excellentperformanceIf ever proof were needed of how special Grahamstownis, it was provided last Thursdayand Friday at the Guy Butler Theatre whenthe Rhodes Orchestra and massed choirs ofseveral local schools staged a resounding performanceof Carl Orff’s wonderful CarminaBurana.I was fortunate to be part of the audiencein a packed auditorium on Friday to be royallyand magnificently entertained by the talentsof more than 300 mainly young musicians underthe baton of the inspirational Juan Muñoz.I thank them all, as well as the army of otherswhose organisational and supporting effortshelped to make this such a rich and satisfyingevening. The standing ovation at the end wasthoroughly deserved.Harry OwenDogs still on the looseCats are still being killed by marauding dogsaround town and on campus but it appearsthe authorities aren’t doing anything to stopthem. I do not want the dogs to suffer unduly,but their killing spree must come to an endand there is only one way that will happen,unfortunately, since there is obviously noone taking responsibility for them. I have anunconfirmed report that the killer huskies ofGeorge Street were shot after they attackeda man. This really saddens me because thisis not what any of these dogs deserve and allof these problems stem from irresponsibleINSIDESummerhumans who allow animals to breed and thendo not care for them or feed them. Or theyget fancy breeds they know absolutely nothingabout and when the dogs start behavingaccording to their nature, the people do notknow how to respond and generally a lot ofchaos is let loose on the community before thedogs invariably meet a sticky end.However, cats continue to be killed by dogson Rhodes campus and elsewhere and I havenever before had so many reports of killingsor of missing cats.If nothing is being done to stop them, Iwould like to appeal to everyone who cares tolook after their own small animals, although Iwould imagine that many are being killed thatno one is even aware of. I found the tortured,disembowelled remains of a young campuscat yesterday among a colony I am workingwith at present and it was a very sad sightthat will haunt me for a long time.Lorna GrantThank the CurvesSOUTH AFRICA’S OLDEST INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER R4.00The Rotary Annes of Grahamstown wouldlike to thank the members of Curves for theirgenerous donation of two trolley loads ofgroceries.These have been distributed to theKhanya Care Unit which looks after twelvespecial needs children, a destitute family identifiedby Famsa and the Grahamstown HealthDevelopment Forum run from the PresbyterianChurch which assists families that areaffected by HIV/Aids.S FletcherGrahamstown Rotary Annsthe UMass athletics website (www.umassathletics.com). These pastfour months were tough and hard. Itfelt like a complete shock to my system,I never knew I had certain muscles.I was contemplating makingsome excuse so I’d have to go homeagain. We have just been trainingand not playing many matches, exceptfor a few practice ones and funtournaments.Our team looks promising,having three foreign players representingAustralia, England andSouth Africa respectively. And Imust add that the coaching staff isphenomenal.On Fridays, wearing my BafanaBafana t-shirt draws a lot of attention.The Americans are excited forthe World Cup too and a number ofmy friends and people I know arecoming down for the tournament,which is fantastic.I plan on doing some recruitingfor UMASS when I come back home.So there is an opportunity for theyoung talent in the Eastern Capeand South Africa to have the experience that I’mhaving.Tel: 046 636 1173GO GREENJoza octogenarianPAGE 5 PAGE 8celebrates birthdayPAGE 10Flying highhodes University student Thandolwethu Zono, who recently received a sport scholarshipto the University of Massachusetts (UMASS), has arrived safely in the USAIn an interview with Grocott’s Mail last week, Zono said she couldn’t believe the realityof the opportunity. “When I sit down and think of how I got the scholarship, I realise it isGod’s work as I couldn’t have done it on my own,” she says.Zono, who matriculated from Victoria Girls’ High School (VGHS) and who is currentlyin her second year of studying a Bcomm Accounting at Rhodes University, said she firstheard about the hockey scholarship when a hockey coach from James Madison Universityvisited South Africa looking for high school learners to fit the criteria of the scholarship.“My name somehow got on the list of people to be considered for the scholarship.”Zono first started playing hockey as a nine-year-old and was captain of the VGHS 1sthockey team. She currently plays for Rhodes 1st XI. In 2008 she was a member of the U19national side that played against Australia. Zono says she prefers playing centre link, but“can play any of the positions effectively, it just depends on the strength of the team.”Her parents are ecstatic about their daughter’s achievement.Zono’s mother Boniwe said “I am very proud of her and this is a lifetime opportunity forher.” Zono’s father, Maboy added “She is committed to what she does and it was her choiceto follow hockey as she had participated in different sporting codes.”Although she will be away from home for some time, Zono says she has every intentionof remaining close to her roots. “Yes, I am going to the States but I am a Rhodent. My bloodOVERJOYED... Thandolwethu Zono with her father, Maboy and her mother Boniwe,before heading for the United States. Photos: Steven LangMarket Day Specials valid Wednesday 20th January 2010 onlyThe decision to come here was a great oneSwissand I certainly do not regret it, smiles all round.RollsI have become well adjusted and accustomedto the each American way of life… but isn’t the wholeworld doing that already?Lastly, I definitely miss my family a lot andmy mom’s food, no doubt about it. When homesicknessmanages to creep in, my faith helps tostrengthen me and I have built a great supportsystem here so I’m well taken care of.Write to: The Editor, PO Box 103 Grahamstown 6140Fax to: 046 622 7282Email: letters@grocotts.co.zaSMS082 049 2146The abortion and DJ posterswallpapered all overtown are a disgrace to thetown. Why does Makana notprosecute these vandals ofour historic city?!>>>>>>>>>>Does Makana traffic deptnot protect children? Ioften drive pass the cornerof Hodges & Spring Strwhere a white woman sitson her pavement doorstepat 5 Hodges Str, smoking,while her small son commitshare kiri with passingtraffic on his plasticbike. He has repeatedlyshot in front of my car,risking his life.>>>>>>>>>>G'town should have a 3rdDegree teamPseudonyms may be used, but all letters must be supported by a name, signature and street address.Preference will be given to letters which are not longer than 400 words and are clearly legible.The editor reserves the right to edit or reject letters/photographs.9.99Prices apply to Pick n Pay Grahamstown. Tel 046 636 1747Prices advertised are inclusive of VAT. We reserve the right to limit quantities. No traders please. E&OE. Every month for the past year. Addcheck(an independent research company) has proven that Pick n Pay gives you more for your money on a representative basket of 1000 items.
Grocott’s Mail Tuesday, 18 May 2010Makana Matters5The nitty gritty of wind powerStacy MorelandThe possible introductionof nine or ten 90-metrehighwind turbines, eachequipped with three 45-metrelongblades, to the Waaineklandscape has upset manyof the potential neighbours.Each turbine costs approximatelyR35-million to buildand has a life span of 30 years.Noise, and the introductionof industrial structures to anarea where many businesses,basing their appeal on a calmingenvironment – as in thecase of the Mariya uMamaweThemba Monastery – oron the illusion of untamed wilderness(in the case of severalsurrounding hunting lodgesand game reserves), are consideredmajor disincentives.The environmental impact assessment(EIA) presented byCoastal Environmental Services(CES) and the projectmanager of Innowind, KevinMinkoff earlier this monthbecame an opportunity forconcerned residents to aira variety of grievances andworries. Privately owned andFrench funded, Innowind hasundertaken to identify andassess the environmentaland social impacts, and makerecommendations to mitigatenegative impacts – but a criticalminority who attended arecent meeting expresseddissatisfaction with the manyuncertain variables raised bythe proposed wind farm, and alack of guarantees.Why Waainek?The process of “scoping”the Grahamstown area wascompleted by the end of Novemberlast year. Two othersites, on either side of the N2to East London were consideredbut Waainek wasconsidered the best due toaccessibility, excellent windresources and proximity tothe municipal power grid.Innowind is currently usingthe nearby MTN cellphonemast (which is 18 metreshigh) to assess wind qualityand consistency. They wouldlike to erect a 60-metre mastto measure the wind in conditionssimilar to those experiencedby the turbines.Expected benefitsA stable power supply forGrahamstown, particularlyin winter, and the 26% shareheld by the Makana Winds ofChange Educational Trustwill be the major benefits ofthe wind farm. The trust willbe administered by membersof civil society, “unpaid, fromdifferent bodies, with differentinterests” said wind farmlobbyist Dr Garth Cambray.Impact on the environmentThe heritage assessmentfound that impact wouldbe low; there are no archaeologicalsites in thearea and the sandstonesurrounding the sites wasunlikely to yield palaeontologicalremains. Noise assessmentfound that therewere “sensitive receptors”(such as homes) within audiblerange of the turbines.However, tests for soundand infrasound found thatimpacts were minimal andthe turbines are positionedoutside an internationallyestablished 500-metre bufferzone. The EIA found that thearea was not a “pristine terrestrialhabitat”.However, four speciesand a genus of flora of“special concern” growOpen manhole poses a threatin Extension 6Sandhira ChettyA ONe-yeAR-OLD child almostfell into an open manhole in Extension6 last Wednesday whileplaying outside. The manholehas been without a coversince 2007.“The municipality knowsabout this manhole becauseI have complained about thisbefore,” said Extension 6resident, Yoliswa Dube.She says she informedthe City Engineers Departmentof the problem againlast week, but has still notreceived any response.However, Phakama Booifrom the department deniesbeing told about the openmanhole. “I don’t know anythingabout this, but if it hasbeen open for three yearsthen this is an old projectwhich means it is still inprogress,” she said.Makana Media andCommunication OfficerEXposED...Thismanholehas beenwithout acover since2007.Photo:BabongileZuluThandy Matebese was alsonot aware of the problem.“As soon as we find out exactlywhere the manhole is,we will be able to do somethingabout it. People needto report these matters sowe are aware of what to do,”he said.Dube was at her mother’shouse when she heard theneighbour’s baby scream.“The child was playing nearthe manhole. I heard thebaby scream a few minuteslater, but luckily we got therebefore any harm was done,”she said. “We eventually coveredthe hole with a mat andplaced stones on the mat tokeep it down.” Dube is alsoconcerned about the healthrisk the manhole poses.“It even overflowedonce, this manhole is themain manhole for all thesurrounding houses in thisarea. This can be a problembecause children like playingwhere it is dirty.”Matebese has since takendown Dube’s details andwill be dealing with the openmanhole as soon as he receivesmore information.nearby. Only one turbinefalls within a sensitive area.According to the EIA fifteenspecies of bat occupy thearea and relatively high fatalitiesare expected, but thesefatalities can be reducedby 50% with the reductionof the cut-in time of the turbines.This can be done witha minimal loss to power generated.Generally one bird iskilled annually by a turbinein a wind farm. To put this inperspective: 57 million birdsare killed by cars in the USannually. Eleven vulnerablespecies of raptor frequentthe thermals surroundingWaainek, nine of which arenear-threatened. It is expectedthat these species mayexperience some displacementand loss of habitat. Thevisual impact assessmentconsidered the “full rangeof visual, aesthetic, culturaland spiritual aspects of theenvironment that contributeto the area’s sense of place”.Impact was found to be relativelylow. However, CES acknowledgedthat this is a generalisedverdict for the wholeadjacent area and impactsMuni equipment purchaseproves problematicPrudence MiniREWARDThe 11Kv Tamco Vacuum circuitbreakers, purchased amidsome concerns, drove a heateddiscussion at the Land, Housing,Infrastructural Developmentand Disaster Management(LHID) Portfolio Committeemeeting last week.According to MakanaMunicipality’s spokesperson,Thandy Matebese, the TamcoVacuum circuit breakers, whichare switches used to make orbreak high voltages, were purchasedat a cost of R250 000.Before the purchase wasmade, four council officials wereselected to go, at the manufacturer’sexpense to Johannesburgin March this year to witness thefactory testing of the equipment.The Technical and Infrastructuraldirectorate reportstated that the defects whichwere noted on the first day ofthe visit were partly repairedA reward of R100,00 per person will be paid for the positiveidentification of the persons in the above photograph.CALL 0834320013All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.on, for instance, the monasteryare higher – the 12turbines originally proposedwere reduced for this reason.CriticismsOn several occasions theprocess of feasibility assessmentwas criticised for“putting the cart before thehorse”. Nick Stavrakis, a concernedlocal and geologist,raised the “obvious slumping”occurring below the N2bypass as evidence of howlocal underlying rock strata,(made of illite) liquefyunder pressure and vibration.Stavrakis added that althoughthe proposed site appearsto be a consistent ridgeit could contain four to fivedifferent soil types. Thesefactors would make the siteinappropriate for structuressuch as the turbines, he said.Minkoff said that whilegeological assessmentwould be part of pre-emptivestudies they would notbe undertaken yet, whilepublic approval is still beingsought, as they are verycostly and the project mustbe given the go-ahead first.Russell Field, from Coldand new defects were pickedup on the second day. “Thepurchase and installation of thisequipment took place during theproject phase, of which all wasdone by the service provider,”said Matebese.The purchase was processedin the midst of someidentified concerns such asthere being no local agent for theTamco Breakers, no spare partsare available in South Africa andif training of staff is required thenit has to be done in Malaysia.Matebese said that the concernsraised by council officials afterthe factory test visit are beingaddressed before the project ishanded over to the municipality.During the committeemeeting DA Councillor MichaelWhisson expressed his confusionas to why this equipmentwas purchased despite theoutlined concerns. “It’s a wonderfulpiece of equipment, butit does not work.Spring Farm, where heruns a buffalo breeding programmeand hunting lodge,raised numerous concerns.Among them was the likelydecrease in property valuessurrounding such obtrusivestructures.He also said that he expecteda loss of business dueto the destruction of the “wildexperience” at his lodge.These sentiments were echoedby representatives fromAmakhala and Shamwarigame reserves. Ecotourismaccounts for 65% of theirbusiness and they alreadyhave difficulty marketingthe Eastern Cape as a wildarea, difficulties which willincrease once the wind farmis built, whether it is directlyvisible from guests’ accommodationor not.Dr Ted Avis of CES assuredthose concerned thatthey are “obliged by law totake cognisance of resident’sissues”. “There is a need forcompromise,” he concluded,“there will always be issuesthat are hard to resolve;what’s important is the willingnessto resolve them”.We should cut our ties withthis,” said Whisson. TechnicalServices Deputy Director JohnsonSteto said that the councilofficials informed him of thefailed demonstration. He explainedthat he tried to stop theprocess of the equipment beingpurchased but without any success.LHID portfolio committeechairperson and ANC councillor,Zamuxolo Peter, said that afull report explaining what occurredshould be written andthat the manufacturers shouldreimburse them in full.He added that somethingwent wrong somewhere and if thefault lies with the technical servicesteam then someone should beheld accountable. “Make sure itdoes not hamper service delivery.“We have the Fifa World Cupand the Festival just around thecorner. If it’s going to affect electricityin Makana, it has to beaddressed as soon as possible,”said Peter.Enjoy a taste of the Levant!carinus art school banquetNow, Friday 21, at the Art School!Only 10 tickets left to this amazingexperience. R140. Own bar.6.30 for 7pm. Phone 6224543art works by well known locals and students on auction
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