Tomorrow is Grahamstown's BIG DAY!
Turning 200 is incredible, but what is even more amazing is the way we have decided to do it.
The memory of Thabo Mbeki raining down cold rage on our city is still there -- he cursed Grahamstown's history, and divided everyone into African and non-African. Were Coloured people ever African's under Thabo's cruel invective? And what of Indian?
But tomorrow we can all come out and bask in the new order of the day -- creativity, inclusiveness, unfettered intellectual and personal identity introspecton and just having a jol.
Our new Mayor, Zamaxolo Peter, has made some very smart reconciliatory moves. With councillor Julie Wells by his side, the mayor has asked us not to dwell on the war and hatred, but to look at our achievements, and more than that, to do it in a frank and realistic manner which builds community.
Everyone's waiting for he mayor to show a dark side. But why wait -- just judge him day-to-day. Earlier this week I covered his move to chuck on overall, hardhat and takkies and remove one of Grahamstown's last horrible bucket toilet systems.
He was as generous and open as any mayor I've seen in 17 years. Mrs Nonthuthuzelo Faku was a wonderful Makana Mayor -- too good for the tsotsi-like 24-year-old who toppled her. And how the city struggled under his destructive rule.
Mayor Vumile Lwana was a good guy, but very quiet. His two terms were good, and then we got Phumelelo Kate who got in shortly before Mbeki dropped his f-bomb on Grahamstown. Kate writhed with enthusiasm to please the President. Citizens bonded together -- as we often do when under threat -- and finally Mbeki buggered off and calm returned.
Now that was a most divisive and unpleasant time.
Then came last year's bid to strip the city of its status as seat of the Eastern Cape High Court, and suddenly mayors and parties and people and institutions got together and spoke as one against Justice and ConDev Minister Jeff Radebe.
It was a done deal. We were goners. But massive public pressure, with Rhodes and the local, and later regional ANC behind us, Radebe backed off and left us alone.
These are wonderful achievments, and tomorrow's celebration is all about this too. We could have been celebrating one year of Mbekiville, and how cr*p would that have been -- our celebration would have been heralded by the ghosts of 300 000 South Africans who died as a result of his madness.
Instead, we have a wonderful opportunity to bond. I think we should grab it, go with it, make it happen as a celebration of that inner human and intellectual core which makes Makana a "Great Place to Be", but at a deepler level, makes Grahamstown GREAT!
To add my own two cents' worth: Grahamstown and Makana was the head office of civil rights and anti-apartheid news agency, East Cape News Agencies Trust, which was built into a powerful NGO by Franz Kruger, later carried on by Adrienne Carlisle and yours truly. Ecna changed into East Cape News Pty Ltd, which went on to generate East Cape news for another decade. Between 1986 and 2006 -- for 20 years -- Ecna and ECN made great conributions to democratic change in the Eastern Cape and went some way to give our province profile nationally.
I have also managed to run two newspapers in Grahamstown, selling one of them and running the other into the ground (sorry!) -- all of this on the basis of the power of the Grahamstown community.
And the Rhodes Journalism and Media Studies Department have turned Grocott's Mail into a stunning community paper. It is well known that a vibrant small city press and media generally is an excellent sign of health. We started the independent SA press here in the 1800s and we continue to make media like no other city of its size in South Africa.
I believe Grahamstown has secret strengths; we are a critical bunch, but there is a social force which exisits despite horrendous unemployment, boozing and crime, which just keeps on making Grahamstown and Makana strong.
I grew up in East London, matriculated in Queenstown, started working as a reporter in Port Elizabeth. In 28 years of journalism, I have yet to come across a city quite so amazing as Grahamstown.
WE ROCK! Happy 200th birthday Grahamstown!
Message from the event organisers and mayor Zamaxolo Peter:
It's Grahamstown's 200th Anniversary and Makana is marking the event this Saturday 18th February with a Parade and fun-day at Church Square. Come along - the kids will have a blast. They can even dress up in fancy dress if they like.
From 10am-4pm church square will be bustling with entertainment, including live bands, jumping castles, face-painting,stilt-walkers, magic shows, balloon sculpters, gumboot and pantsula dancers,VG choir, Graeme college marimba and steel bands, UBOM Theatre company, Amaphiko dancers, FREE candy floss and balloons as well as food vendors.
Also, don't forget to come watch the noon parade from Drosty Arch to Church Square.
Please encourage the school or other locals with families to come support this fun-filled event.
Contact
Richard Antrobus (Makana Project 200 Parade coordinator), Tel: 083 239 7075.
Email:
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for more details or enquiries.
Statement by the Executive
The city of Grahamstown this year marks 200 years of its existence and Makana Municipality
with her partners will observe this historic milestone through storytelling, music, dance, reflection
and imagination.
It is a fact which cannot be denied that the town was born out of blood and war during the colonial
wars between the British, Xhosas & Khoisan at some stage. In the 200 year period the town has
been characterized by the good, the bad and the ugly. These events are what have made us who we
are as the people of this town. As we look back with tears, grief and sorrow, let us look forward
with hope as we imagine what the future holds.
This year will be used to build a strong sense of community, where we can all renew our
commitment to assist each other in making our Municipality genuinely “a great place to be”.
The main focus of the year of observation is to encourage all citizens to tell their own stories. All
the residents are encouraged to participate to ensure that the history of our town is inclusive. We
invite everyone to reflect on their own histories and make contributions to the different themes for
every month. The money spent on the project will be mostly spent on community members who
propose and design events, projects and programmes.
On 18 February 2012, Church Square @ 11h00 we will be launching Project 200 YEARS. The
proceedings of the day will start at Drosty Lawns, where participants will assemble and embark on
a street parade from Somerset Street down High Street and come to an end at the Church Square
for a street carnival for both young and old.
All of us were not present when the town started 200 years ago and surely might not agree with
some of the things which happened, but now we all have an opportunity to be part of how the new
bicentenary will be.
The adopted logo for the project was endorsed due to its consistency with the official logo of the
municipality. It was agreed that the project logo will be in conjunction with the municipal logo.
The elements of the logo are described as follows:
•
Aloe -represents healing and growth.
•
Flower – represents wildlife footprint, abundant wildlife
•
Leaves – represent upliftment, shaped like animal horn.
Makana Municipality shall strive to ensure sustainable, affordable, equitable and quality services in a just, friendly secure
and healthy environment, which promotes social and economic growth for all.
…a great place to be
City Hall · High Street · Grahamstown · 6139 Tel. +27 (0) 46 603 6133 e-mail.
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City Hall · P.O Box 176 · Grahamstown · 6140 Fax. +27 (0) 46 622 9488 http. www.makana.gov.za
•
5 dots:
-symbolic of five biomes representing pristine environment.
-symbolic of Xhosa face painting, representing culture.
-represent the historic people of the area: San, Khoikhoi, Xhosa, Dutch, English.
Zamuxolo Peter
Executive Mayor
City Hall · High Street · Grahamstown · 6139 Tel. +27 (0) 46 603 6111 / 6134 e-mail.
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City Hall · P.O Box 176 · Grahamstown · 6140 Fax. +27 (0) 46 622 9488 http. www.makana.gov.
