Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
province of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. It is situated about northeast of
Port Elizabeth
Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...
and southwest of
East London
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...
. Makhanda is the largest town in the
Makana Local Municipality
Makana Local Municipality is the local municipality which governs the town of Makhanda/Grahamstown and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. The municipality ...
, and the seat of the municipal council. It also hosts
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
, the
Eastern Cape Division
The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law with general jurisdiction over the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The main seat of the division is at Makhanda, with subordinate local seats at Port Eli ...
of the
High Court, the
South African Library for the Blind
The South African Library for the Blind (SALB) is a statutory body with the objective to provide a national library and information service to serve blind and print-disabled readers in South Africa.
History
The South African Library for the Bli ...
(SALB),
a diocese of the
Anglican Church of Southern Africa
The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, known until 2006 as the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, is the province (Anglican), province of the Anglican Communion in the southern part of Africa. The church has twenty-five dioceses, of whi ...
, and
6 South African Infantry Battalion
6 South African Infantry Battalion is an air assault infantry unit of the South African Army.
History
6 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The new training unit was housed on the property previously used by ...
. Furthermore, located approximately 3 km south-east of the town lies the world renowned
Waterloo Farm, the only estuarine fossil site in the world from 360 million years ago with exceptional soft-tissue preservation.
The town's name-change from Grahamstown to Makhanda was officially gazetted on 29 June 2018. The town was officially renamed to Makhanda in memory of
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
warrior and prophet
Makhanda ka Nxele.
History
Founding
![Grahamstown Fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Grahamstown_Fort.JPG)
Makhanda was founded as Grahamstown in 1812 after the
Fourth Xhosa War as a military outpost by Lieutenant-Colonel
John Graham as part of a campaign to secure the Eastern frontier of the
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
. Initially Colonel Graham decided to establish his headquarters on the loan farm Noutoe, now known as Table Farm, but at the recommendation of Ensign Andries Stockenstrom it was moved to the homestead of the loan farm De Rietfontein, belonging to Lucas Meyer.
Construction on the new headquarters, located on the site of the present Church Square, thus began in June 1812.
As part of the campaign, Graham was ordered to clear 20,000
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
living in the region led by Ndlambe ka Rharhabe from the Zuurveld. During the campaign, which formed part of the
Xhosa Wars
The Xhosa Wars (also known as the Cape Frontier Wars or the Kaffir Wars) were a series of nine wars (from 1779 to 1879) between the Xhosa people, Xhosa Kingdom and the British Empire as well as Trekboers in what is now the Eastern Cape in Sout ...
, Graham ordered the adoption of numerous
scorched earth
A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy. Any assets that could be used by the enemy may be targeted, which usually includes obvious weapons, transport vehicles, communi ...
tactics, which included the burnings of Xhosa farms. By 1812, Graham had completed his assignment, and transformed Grahamstown into the central military outpost in the region.
Battle of Grahamstown
On 22 April 1819, a large number of Xhosa warriors, under the leadership of Nxele (or the Xhosa prophet
Makhanda), launched an attack against the British garrison stationed at Grahamstown. The Xhosas had warned Colonel Willshire, the commanding officer, of their planned attack on the settlement.
It was one of countless attacks launched on the nascent colony by the Xhosas. During the course of the battle, the British were running low on ammunition. The Xhosas, with a force of 10,000 troops under the overall command of
Ndlambe's warrior son,
Mdushane, were unable to overpower the garrison of some 300 men. Nxele surrendered and was taken captive and imprisoned on
Robben Island
Robben Island ( af, Robbeneiland) is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (''robben''), hence the Dutch/Afrik ...
. On
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
in 1819, he tried to escape but drowned in the attempt.
Growth
Grahamstown grew during the 1820s, as many
1820 Settlers
The 1820 Settlers were several groups of British colonists from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, settled by the government of the United Kingdom and the Cape Colony authorities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1820.
Origins
After th ...
and their families left farming to establish themselves in more secure trades. In 1833, Grahamstown was described as having "two or three English merchants of considerable wealth, but scarcely any society in the ordinary sense of the word. The Public Library is a wretched affair". As of 1833, it was estimated that the population of Grahamstown was approximately 6,000.
In a few decades it became the
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
's largest town after
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
. It became a
bishopric
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
in 1852. It was traditionally the capital and cultural centre of the
Albany area, a district that was traditionally English-speaking and had a distinctive local culture.
In 1872, the
Cape Government Railways
The Cape Government Railways (CGR) was the government-owned railway operator in the Cape Colony from 1874 until the creation of the South African Railways (SAR) in 1910.
History Private railways
The first railways at the Cape were privately own ...
began construction of the railway line linking Grahamstown to
Port Alfred
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...
on the coast and to the
developing national railway network inland. It was completed and opened on 3 September 1879.
Grahamstown grew rapidly to become the second-largest city in South Africa after Cape Town until 1930. The early 1860s saw the development of more schools, the botanical gardens, and the Eastern District Supreme Court was established. In 1864, a full parliamentary session was held in Grahamstown, instead of Cape Town. There was talk of making Grahamstown the capital of the Cape Colony because of its central position. Grahamstown was the location of the testing of the first diamond find by Henry Carter Galpin.
In 1904, Rhodes University College was established in Grahamstown through a grant from the Rhodes Trust. In 1951 it became a fully-fledged University,
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
.
Name change
Makhanda's previous name "Grahamstown" originated from the Cape Hottentot Corps in the Zuurveld's Commander of the Regiment, Colonel John Graham, who, in June 1812, oversaw the construction on the corps' new headquarters, located on the site of the present Church Square.
Grahamstown went on to become a religious, military, administrative, judicial, and educational centre for the surrounding region of
Albany.
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa announced the name change from Grahamstown in the Government Gazette No. 641 of 29 June 2018. The purpose of gazetting was to publicise the minister's decision for objections or comments by 28 July 2018.
Prompted by a
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
A truth commission, also known as a truth and reconciliation commission or truth and justice commission, is an official body tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government (or, depending on the circumstances, non-state act ...
recommendation that geographic features, including geographical names, be renamed as a "symbolic reparation" to address an unjust past, a proposal was for the town to be renamed after
Makhanda, in recognition of his failed attack against the settlement's garrison in 1819. On 2 October 2018, Grahamstown was officially renamed Makhanda in the memory of Makhanda.
Religion
A view of St Michael and St George Cathedral in Church street
upThe interior of St Michael and St George Cathedral
St. Michael and St. George Cathedral is the seat of the
Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown. Makhanda also has
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
,
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
, Ethiopian Episcopal,
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
, Baptist, Pinkster Protestante, Dutch Reformed (Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk), Charismatic, Apostolic and Pentecostal churches. There are also meeting places for Hindus, Scientologists, Quakers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Muslims.
The city is home to more than forty religious buildings and is nicknamed the "City of Saints". According to one story recorded by
H. V. Morton
Henry Canova Vollam Morton (known as H. V. Morton), (26 July 1892 – 18 June 1979) was a journalist and pioneering travel writer from Lancashire, England. He was best known for his many books on London, Great Britain and the Holy Land. He fi ...
, Makhanda earned its nickname from
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
stationed in Grahamstown in 1846 who were in need of building tools. They sent a message to Cape Town requesting a
vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...
to be forwarded to them from the Ordnance Stores. A reply came back, 'Buy vice locally'. The response was, "No vice in Grahamstown".
Demographics
According to the
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
census the population of Makhanda was 67,264, of whom 78.9% described themselves as "
Black African
Black is a Racialization, racialized classification of people, usually a Politics, political and Human skin color, skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have ...
", 11.3% as "
Coloured
Coloureds ( af, Kleurlinge or , ) refers to members of multiracial ethnic communities in Southern Africa who may have ancestry from more than one of the various populations inhabiting the region, including African, European, and Asian. South ...
" and 8.4% as "
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
".
Since 1994, there has been a considerable influx of black people from the former
Ciskei
Ciskei (, or ) was a Bantustan for the Xhosa people-located in the southeast of South Africa. It covered an area of , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian O ...
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
homeland, which lies just to the east. The
first language
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
of 72.2% of the population is
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
, while 13.7% speak
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
and 10.8% speak
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
.
Education, arts and culture
Makhanda is home to
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
, the South African
National Library for the Blind
The National Library for the Blind (NLB) was a public library in the United Kingdom, founded 1882, which aimed to ensure that people with sight problems have the same access to library services as sighted people. NLB was taken over by the Royal Na ...
, the
National English Literary Museum
The Amazwi South African Museum of Literature, previously the National English Literary Museum (NELM), is a museum that houses archival material relating to South Africa's literary heritage. It is located in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in th ...
, the
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), is involved in research, education and in applications of its knowledge and research to African fish fauna, for either economic or conservation benefit.
The institute originally estab ...
(formerly the JLB Smith Institute), the
International Library of African Music
The International Library of African Music (ILAM) is an organization dedicated to the preservation and study of African music. Seated in Grahamstown, South Africa, ILAM is attached to the Music Department at Rhodes University and coordinates its ...
(ILAM), the
Albany Museum
The Albany Museum, South Africa is situated in Grahamstown in South Africa, is affiliated to Rhodes University and dates back to 1855,Chinsamy, Anusuya. (1997). "Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa." ''Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs''. Edited by ...
, and the Institute for the Study of English in Africa. A number of palaeontological discoveries made from
Waterloo Farm in the past two decades have sparked a global interest in the fossils of the Eastern Cape Province and this has resulted in numerous international collaborations. These discoveries and collaborations have been made possible by the persistent work of Dr Robert W. Gess of the Devonian Ecosystem Laboratory, Albany Museum, who has dedicated most of his life excavating and studying blocks of black shale that he, with later support from the
South African Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has rescued from road cuttings from back in the mid- 1980s.
The legacy of disparate education during
Apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
still echoes in the provision of secondary education in this former frontier town, where significant discrepancies in matric pass rates and general quality of education exist. Addressing this problem is one of the town's greatest challenges.
In March 1984, the City of Grahamstown adopted a flag, one of six designs prepared by heraldic expert Prof. Hugh Smith, of Rhodes University.
Clock towers in the town
The following is a list of tower clocks in Makhanda, with their location and if they are in working order:
*
St Michael and St George Cathedral, in working order,
*City Hall, not in working order,
*
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
, not in working order,
* High Court, not in working order,
* Dutch Reformed Church, in working order,
* Observatory Museum, not in working order,
*
St. Andrew's College, in working order,
*
Kingswood College chapel, in working order,
Festivals
Two large festivals take place annually in Makhanda: the
National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival (NAF) is an annual festival of performing arts in Grahamstown, South Africa. It is the largest arts festival on the African continent and one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world by visitor numbers.
Th ...
in June/July and
SciFest Africa in the first term of the year and attracts some 50,000 people. The National Arts Festival is the largest Arts festival in Africa and sees some of the leading talent on the South African and international art scene arriving in Makhanda for a celebration of culture and artistic expression. South Africa's National Science Festival, was established in 1996 to promote the public awareness, understanding and appreciation of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation. Makhanda is also host to the Puku Story Festival since 2013 presented by the Puku Children's Literature Foundation. The festival was created in partnership with the National Arts Festival and the African Studies Department at Rhodes University with the aim to facilitate access to literature and educational/recreational materials in Xhosa.
Schools
Press
![Grocotts Mail](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Grocotts_Mail.jpg)
Makhanda is home to the oldest surviving independent newspaper in South Africa. ''
Grocott's Mail
''Grocott’s Mail'' is the oldest surviving independent newspaper in South Africa. Founded in 1870 (but incorporating the ''Grahamstown Journal'' which was founded in 1831), this weekly newspaper has survived many years and is today the only ne ...
'' was founded in 1870 by the Grocott family, and bought out a newspaper called the ''Grahamstown Journal'', which was founded in 1831.
Robert Godlonton
Robert Godlonton (1794–1884) ("Moral Bob") was an influential politician of the Cape Colony. He was an 1820 Settler, who developed the press of the Eastern Cape and led the Eastern Cape separatist movement as a representative in the Cape's ...
, a previous owner of the ''Journal'' had used it and his other papers to oppose
Andries Stockenström
Sir Andries Stockenström, 1st Baronet, (6 July 1792 in Cape Town – 16 March 1864 in London) was lieutenant governor of British Kaffraria from 13 September 1836 to 9 August 1838.
His efforts in restraining colonists from moving into Xhosa ...
's treaty system and advocated seizing more land from the
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
. It is now a local newspaper operated by the
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
School of Journalism and Media Studies, and still retains its name.
As a major centre for journalism training, Rhodes University also hosts two student newspapers, ''Activate'', established in 1947, and ''The Oppidan Press'', a student initiative launched in 2007 that caters mainly to the student population living off-campus.
Government
With the establishment of the
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Trans ...
the Grahamstown High Court became a Local Division of the newly formed Supreme Court of South Africa (under Cape Town). On 28 June 1957, the Eastern Districts Court, under the name Eastern Cape Division, became a provincial division. In certain other areas of provincial government Grahamstown similarly served as a centre for the Eastern Cape.
In 1994, Grahamstown became part of the newly established
Eastern Cape Province
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 ...
, while
Bhisho
Bhisho (formerly Bisho) is the capital of the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. The Office of the Premier, Provincial Legislature and many other government departments are headquartered in the town. The town, three kilometres from Qonce and ...
was chosen as the provincial capital.
It is the seat of the
Eastern Cape Division
The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa is a superior court of law with general jurisdiction over the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The main seat of the division is at Makhanda, with subordinate local seats at Port Eli ...
of the
High Court, as well as the
Magistrate's Court for the Albany District. As a result of the presence of a High Court, several other related organs of state such as a Masters Office and a Director of Public Prosecutions are present in the town.
A few other Government (mostly provincial) departments maintain branches or other offices in Makhanda.
Grahamstown was the only settlement outside Cape Town to host a sitting of the Cape Colony legislature (a move to defuse a call for the creation of a separate colony).
Municipal government
Grahamstown had its own municipality until 2000. Since then, it has expanded into the
Makana Local Municipality
Makana Local Municipality is the local municipality which governs the town of Makhanda/Grahamstown and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. The municipality ...
in the
Cacadu District.
From 2012, the
Makana Local Municipality
Makana Local Municipality is the local municipality which governs the town of Makhanda/Grahamstown and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. The municipality ...
was unable to reliably provide water to its citizens.
The crisis continued to grow during 2013.
In 2013, South Africa's minister of water
Edna Molewa
Edna or EDNA may refer to:
Places United States
*Edna, California, a census-designated place
*Edna Lake, Idaho
* Edna, Iowa, an unincorporated town in Lyon County
*Edna Township, Cass County, Iowa
*Edna, Kansas, a city
* Edna, Kentucky, an uni ...
was tasked with restoring the water supply of Grahamstown following protests over a nine-day water outage. Causes for the outage include financial mismanagement, with under-spending on infrastructure.
The task force established by Molewa had not solved the problem by 2014.
A 2021 auditor-general's report found that the municipality’s liabilities exceeded its assets by R813 million (equivalent to US$ 54.2 million) and that it has failed to keep full and proper records.
By 2022 senior management was the subject of a criminal investigation and provincial government had to make quarterly reports to the Supreme Court of Appeal on the municipality's financial recovery.
Social issues
In October 2015, more than 500 people were displaced and more than 300 shops looted during a wave of xenophobic violence.
Some people use
traditional African medicine
Traditional African medicine is a range of traditional medicine disciplines involving Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous herbalism and Traditional African religions, African spirituality, typically including divination, diviners, midwives, ...
because it is believed to be effective. There are some plants which are popular with the people of Makhanda.
Coat of arms
Municipality (1) — The first arms were assumed in September 1862. They quartered an incorrect version of the arms of Graham of Fintry with those of
Jan van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck (21 April 1619 – 18 January 1677) was a Dutch navigator and colonial administrator of the Dutch East India Company.
Life
Early life
Jan van Riebeeck was born in Culemborg, as the son of a surgeon. He ...
(in incorrect colours), with an ostrich as a crest. The supporters were a leopard and a giraffe, and the motto was ''Virtute et opera''.
Municipality (2) — In response to a call by the Cape Provincial Administration for municipalities to have their coats of arms checked and, if necessary, re-designed, the city council had a new coat of arms designed by
Ivan Mitford-Barberton
Ivan Mitford-Barberton (1896–1976) was a sculptor, writer and authority on heraldry.
Early life and education
Mitford-Barberton was born in Somerset East, in Cape Colony, in 1896. He was a descendant of several 1820 Settler families. His g ...
and
H. Ellis Tomlinson in 1950. It was granted by the
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
on 20 July 1950, and registered at the
Bureau of Heraldry
Bureau ( ) may refer to:
Agencies and organizations
*Government agency
*Public administration
* News bureau, an office for gathering or distributing news, generally for a given geographical location
* Bureau (European Parliament), the administrat ...
in September 1994.
The new arms were : ''Or, on a pile Gules, three annulets placed 2 and 1 Or; on a chief Sable, three escallops Or'' (in layman's terms : a golden shield displaying, from top to bottom, three golden scallop shells on a black horizontal stripe, and three golden rings on a red triangle). The crest was changed to a plume of ostrich feathers issuing from a golden mural crown, and the supporters were differenced by placing an escallop on each shoulder.
Social movements
In 2017, Makana Revive! an independent civil society organisation was formed. During the first quarter of 2018, Makana Revive made national news when it spearheaded an initiative to repair failing infrastructure and improve the security and hygiene in the CBD. Donations were received from both local and international citizens and alumni.
The
South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement
The South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement is a social movement with branches in Durban, Grahamstown and Limpopo Province in South Africa. It is often referred to as the Unemployed People's Movement or UPM. The organisation is strongly critical ...
has a strong presence in Makhanda.
The Rebellion of the Poor Comes to Grahamstown
/ref>
Notable people
* Robert Armitage – cricketer
* William Guybon Atherstone
William Guybon Atherstone (1814–1898) was a medical practitioner, naturalist and geologist, one of the pioneers of South African geology and a member of the Cape Parliament.
Life
He arrived in South Africa with his parents as 1820 Settler ...
– medical doctor, naturalist, geologist, and member of the Cape Parliament.
* H. K. Ayliff – British theatre director
* Andre Brink – novelist and Rhodes University professor
* Allister Coetzee
Allister Coetzee (born in Makhanda) is a South African rugby union coach and former player, currently in charge of the Namibian national team on a part time basis, whilst also head coach of Rugby Rovigo in Italy. He served as the head coach o ...
- South African Rugby Head Coach
* John 'Jack' Biddulph Dold – Union rugby player and international cricketer
* Elize du Toit
Elize du Toit (born 21 February 1980) is a South African-born English actress best known for playing the role of Izzy Davies in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2000 to 2004, with a brief return in 2007.
Early life
Elize du Toit was ...
– British actress
* Kingsley Fairbridge
Kingsley Ogilvie Fairbridge (5 May 1885 – 19 July 1924) was the founder of a child migration, child emigration scheme from Britain to British Empire, its colonies and the Fairbridge Schools. His life work was the founding of the "Society for t ...
– Founder of Fairbridge Schools
* Ernest Edward Galpin – Botanist and banker
* Robert Godlonton
Robert Godlonton (1794–1884) ("Moral Bob") was an influential politician of the Cape Colony. He was an 1820 Settler, who developed the press of the Eastern Cape and led the Eastern Cape separatist movement as a representative in the Cape's ...
- politician, author, owner of Grahamstown Journal
* James Henry Greathead
James Henry Greathead (6 August 1844 – 21 October 1896) was a mechanical and civil engineer renowned for his work on the London Underground railways, Winchester Cathedral, and Liverpool overhead railway, as well as being one of the earliest pr ...
– Engineer renowned for his work on the London Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or by its nickname the Tube) is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent ceremonial counties of England, counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and He ...
railway
* Nigel Harris – British actor
* Sir James Rose Innes – second Chief Justice of South Africa
* AJ Kerr – Legal academic
* Johan Klopper
Johan Wilhelm Francois Klopper (born 4 October 1972) is a South African former cricketer.
Klopper was born at Grahamstown in October 1972. He made his debut for Border in List A one-day cricket against Easterns in the 1997/98 Standard Bank ...
- Cricketer
* Robert Jeremy Mansfield – Radio host, television presenter and comedian
* Patrick Moran - Catholic Bishop
* Lex Mpati
Lex Mpati SC (born 5 September 1949) is a South African judge, Chancellor of Rhodes University, and former President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa.
Early life and education
Mpati has deep roots in Grahamstown and the province a ...
- Judge, Retired President of the Supreme Court of Appeal and Chancellor of Rhodes University.
* Charles Mullins – Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
recipient
* Norman Ogilvie Norton – Cricketer (allrounder)
* Mike Pentz – Physicist, born and educated in Grahamstown before moving to the United Kingdom
* Alfred Renfrew Richards – Cricketer and rugby union player
* George Rowe, Cricketer
* Basil Schonland
Sir Basil Ferdinand Jamieson Schonland OMG CBE FRS (2 February 1896 – 24 November 1972) was noted for his research on lightning, his involvement in the development of radar during World War II and for being the first president of the South ...
– Physicist, was born and educated in Grahamstown
* Selmar Schonland
Selmar Schonland (15 August 1860 – 22 April 1940), originally spelt ''Schönland'', the founder of the Department of Botany at Rhodes University, was a German immigrant, who came to the Eastern part of the Cape Colony in 1889 to take up an app ...
– Botanist
* Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith (8 April 1919 – 20 November 2007) was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia (known as Southern Rhodesia until October 1964 and now known as Zimbabwe) from 1964 to ...
– Prime Minister of Rhodesia, student at Rhodes University
* Josie Wood
Josephine Ethel "Josie" Wood (22 January 1874 – 4 April 1965) was a South African educator, co-founder of the South African Library for the Blind and the South African National Council for the Blind.
Early life
Josephine Ethel Wood was born in ...
– Founder, South African National Library for the Blind
See also
* Makana Local Municipality
Makana Local Municipality is the local municipality which governs the town of Makhanda/Grahamstown and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality. The municipality ...
* Albany, South Africa
Albany, South Africa (also known as Cape Borders, Cape Frontier, Settler Country, and Western Region) was a district in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grahamstown was traditionally the administrative capital, cultural centre and largest town of th ...
* 1820 Settlers
The 1820 Settlers were several groups of British colonists from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, settled by the government of the United Kingdom and the Cape Colony authorities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1820.
Origins
After th ...
Major organisations
* Diocese of Grahamstown
The Diocese of Grahamstown is a diocese of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It is centred on the historic city of Makhanda in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The diocese extends to East London, in the east and Port Alfred to the ...
* Grocott's Mail
''Grocott’s Mail'' is the oldest surviving independent newspaper in South Africa. Founded in 1870 (but incorporating the ''Grahamstown Journal'' which was founded in 1831), this weekly newspaper has survived many years and is today the only ne ...
* International Library of African Music
The International Library of African Music (ILAM) is an organization dedicated to the preservation and study of African music. Seated in Grahamstown, South Africa, ILAM is attached to the Music Department at Rhodes University and coordinates its ...
* National Arts Festival
The National Arts Festival (NAF) is an annual festival of performing arts in Grahamstown, South Africa. It is the largest arts festival on the African continent and one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world by visitor numbers.
Th ...
* National English Literary Museum
The Amazwi South African Museum of Literature, previously the National English Literary Museum (NELM), is a museum that houses archival material relating to South Africa's literary heritage. It is located in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in th ...
* Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public university, public research university located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, ...
* South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), is involved in research, education and in applications of its knowledge and research to African fish fauna, for either economic or conservation benefit.
The institute originally estab ...
* South African Library for the Blind
The South African Library for the Blind (SALB) is a statutory body with the objective to provide a national library and information service to serve blind and print-disabled readers in South Africa.
History
The South African Library for the Bli ...
Notes and references
External links
*
Historical pictures of Grahamstown
National Arts Festival
Scifest Africa
{{Authority control
Cities in South Africa
Populated places in the Makana Local Municipality
Populated places established in 1812
1820 establishments in the Cape Colony