Issue 195 - FREE
28
September 2018
Community News. Original - accurate - first
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Road carnage in GMM The past weekend can only be described as a black weekend. The road carnage started on Friday night, 21 September and continued until late Saturday evening. During a 36-hour period, 17 people were killed in various accidents throughout Govan Mbeki municipality. The first fatal accident occurred on Friday afternoon near Trichardt on the N17. The driver of a white VW Polo decided to turn right at a junction that did not allow for a right turn. The driver of a Toyota Fortuner could not avoid the Polo and collided with it causing the Fortuner to overturn. A third vehicle was also involved when the driver of a silver VW Polo failed to avoid the oncoming Fortuner. The Fortuner crashed into the side of the Polo injuring the passengers. One passenger was fatally injured. The second accident occurred approximately at midnight as a large coal truck collided with a bakkie and a trailer. The Bulletin was not at the scene and does not have clear details as to the extent of the accident. It was confirmed that 3 adults and a child suffered fatal injuries in the accident. There were a few other accidents between the fatal accidents but they will not be reported on in this article. The next fatal accident occurred on Saturday afternoon. This accident occurred at the very dangerous turn off towards Brendan Village on the Evander/eMbalenhle road. Eyewitnesses stated on the scene that the driver of a Mazda was driving erratically. They slowed down to let the Mazda pass. The driver of the Mazda sped off towards the T-junction (they were coming from the direction of Brendan Village) and the driver failed to negotiate the corner and bumped into the island. The Mazda continued straight into the path of a fully laden coal truck. The driver of the coal truck allegedly could not avoid the approaching car and crashed into the Mazda, driving over it and dragging the vehicle into the veld. Both the truck and the Mazda caught fire. All 6 of the occupants of the Mazda succumbed to their injuries. 5 were adults and one was a very young child (baby). Later that evening an accident occurred on the Kinross/Kriel road near the Secunda/Delmas crossing. It is alleged that the driver of a VW Polo tried to make a U-turn when a Chevy Spark collided with the Polo. The force
of the impact was so severe that it ripped the Polo in two. Two occupants of the Polo were fatally injured and one person in the Chevy Spark suffered fatal injuries. As the Bulletin left the scene, word came of another accident at the Brendan Village turn off. This is the same turn off as the afternoon’s truck accident. The Bulletin arrived at the scene to find a bakkie and a company minibus involved in the accident. Medical personnel were already attending to the injured. It is not yet clear what caused the accident but it is alleged that there was still some debris on the road after the horrific accident that happened the afternoon and that might have caused the accident. While everyone was attending to the scene, the driver of a white BMW failed to slow down despite all the lights and cars and ploughed into the first accident scene and seriously injured a young ER24 paramedic, Christiaan du Toit (23), and several others. Christiaan was treated on the scene by Langamed personnel and transported to Highveld Mediclinic. He was airlifted shortly thereafter to Milpark Hospital in JHB and is
currently stable but critical. The Bulletin left the scene only to be called to another accident near Sky Hill where a vehicle overturned. The driver of a Nissan X-Trail lost control of his vehicle and it overturned. No Serious injuries were recorded. Once again, as the Bulletin left the scene they received a call about an accident on the N17 near Leandra Tollgate. Two vehicles were involved in this accident. A Hyundai i20 and a Ford Ranger bakkie. All three people travelling in the i20 sustained fatal injuries. Only one person travelling in the Ford Ranger was taken to the N17 Hospital. On Sunday evening the Bulletin attended yet another accident at the Brendan Village turnoff at approximately 19H00. The driver of a Toyota Corolla Verso failed to slow down and crashed into the back of a Toyota Tazz causing the Tazz to overturn. Fortunately, no serious injuries were recorded. On Monday Morning the Bulletin attended the scene in “Afghanistan” in Kinross where the driver of a VW Cross Polo sped down the road only to lose control of the vehicle in front of the
primary school. The vehicle crashed through an electrical pole (wooden) and ended up in one of the houses, injuring a woman that was sleeping in her bed. The driver of the Cross Polo sustained fatal injuries. The accident on Saturday night where the paramedic was injured might have been avoided had the road been closed off. Several requests to provincial traffic officers fell on deaf ears and the road was not closed in time. The most worrying aspect of accidents is the spectators and other motorists. Some motorists have an impatience in them that would not make place for reason. A number of cars do not slow down when they are near accidents nor do they listen to the instructions of those who are trying to keep everybody safe. Spectators flock to the scene in the hope of catching a glimpse of something horrid, crowding the area making it very difficult for emergency personnel to do their work. This is also creating a higher risk for other motorists when spectators stop and disembark from their vehicles. The death toll for this weekend at the time of writing this article stood at 20 fatalities and scores of injured.
NEWS
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28 September 2018
Drowning cases will increase due to seasonal rain The rainy season is fast approaching the Highveld area. With the rains that bring new life, it will also be a season of sadness for a number of families. Streams swell and become rivers that will sweep everything in their path. The number of drownings will also increase. People will still try and cross rivers but will misjudge the severity and the strength of the water. This will cause them to fall into the water and be swept away. Monday afternoon a little boy (5) fell into the Blesbokspruit in Emzinoni and disappeared under the water. The body of the boy was recovered by the SAPS diving team from Middelburg and Delta 1 Rescue Diving on Thursday, 20 September. An intensive search was conducted by the divers over several days until the body was found on Thursday and recovered by members of Delta 1 Diving and Rescue and the SAPS inland water unit. On Sunday another person drowned at Grootvlei. The body is still missing and Delta 1 spent Monday searching for the body. An unidentified man disappeared under the water when he rowed out in search of his Bait Boat. The canoe that he was in capsized and he did not resurface. The following statement was taken from NSRI.org.za Drowning Trends in South Africa: There are around 2 000 fatal drownings per annum, it is estimated that 10 times this amount i.e. 20 000 are non-fatal. Of the fatal drownings, 600 are children (under 16 years of age). It is estimated that there are 6 000 nonfatal drowning in that age group 0-15 years. Not all drownings result in death. There are fatal and non-fatal drownings.
HAWKS capture six rhino poaching syndicate kingpins Six key syndicate members implicated in massive trafficking of poached rhino horns were arrested in a number of areas in Mpumalanga on Wednesday, 19 September. The arrests were made by the Hawks supported by Counter Intelligence, Special Task Force, SAPS Forensic Science Service, SANParks, the Department of Environmental Affairs, SARS and Customs including the National Prosecuting Authority. During the swoop, members found and confiscated luxury vehicles and motorbikes, trucks, an undisclosed amount of money, animal skins, properties, lots of suspected stolen items which include amongst others; trailers, generators and various electronic equipment. The seized items are estimated to exceed millions of rand in value. The suspects aged between 30 and 56, include two alleged syndicate leaders, one right-hand man, two police officers and a former cop. The names of the suspects who appeared in White River Magistrate Court are: 1. Petros Sydney Mabuza (53) King pin (Mshengu) 2. Lubisi Claude (33) Former police Constable at Calcutta SAPS 3.Clyde Mnisi (33) King pin 4.Phinias Lubisi (40) Police Captain and former Station Commander of Skukuza Police Station 5. Joseph Nyalunga (Big Joe) (33) Former police Warrant Officer at White River Police Station (King pin) 6. Arettah Malinga (40) Police Constable at Skukuza Police Station The suspects are facing charges of theft, conspiracy to commit a crime, illegal buying and selling of rhino horns, corruption and money laundering. The significant breakthrough follows an investigation - Project Broadbill - by the Wildlife Trafficking Section of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation which commenced in January last year. The project focused on the criminal supply chain of poached rhinos within the Kruger National Park, KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and other private or state-owned reserves. The syndicate members allegedly ran poaching groups with the support of corrupt police officials as well as authorities from the private game farms. The areas in control of the alleged syndicate include traditional trust areas such as Cork, Belfast,
Mkhuhlu, Calcutta and Shabalala trust around the Hazyview and Mbombela magisterial districts within Mpumalanga. The criminal operations were well planned and allegedly achieved with paramilitary discipline and counter-intelligence actions to prevent any exposure. The logistical, transport and communication support of the criminal group was also well managed and controlled and allegedly succeeded to move rhino horns from the protected areas to places where the transactions will take place. The illegal transactions were also protected by alleged corrupt officials to ensure no detection from law enforcement. The rhino horns would allegedly get sold at the highest price to the markets within Gauteng, where after it gets distributed to the South East Asian markets. Meanwhile, the National Head of the DPCI, Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, has lauded the collaborative action as a huge success in the fight against rhino poaching in the country. “We have often been seized with picking up the remains of endangered species and not finding and arresting the poachers and traffickers behind the crime. “The operation spells hope for rhinos and other endangered species and we are fully committed to eradicating poaching and trafficking. “We will continue teaming up with key enforcement partners and government departments in carrying out crucial investigations and arresting those behind the slaughter of our wildlife,” said Lieutenant General Lebeya. The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma, welcomed the arrest of three serving members as well as a former member, between yesterday and today, by a joint team led by the Hawks. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation has arrested yet another suspect with alleged links to the key six-member rhino horns syndicate that was rounded up in Mpumalanga on Tuesday. The 33-year-old police female constable from Acornhoek Stock Theft Unit was nabbed this morning after she had briefly evaded arrest on Tuesday and yesterday. She is expected to appear in the Hazyview Magistrate Court today and will face similar charges as her co-accused.
NEWS
28 September 2018
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A Hundred Years and Dagga is Legal With the Constitutional Court of South Africa legalising “dagga” on 18 September there are a lot of uncertainty and questions going around. The law states in section 4(b) of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992: “(b) any dangerous dependence-producing substance or any undesirable dependenceproducing substance.” In other words, section 4(b) states that: “it prohibits the use or possession of any dangerous dependence-producing substance or any undesirable dependenceproducing substance unless one or more of the exceptions listed therein applies.” When “dagga” was legalised section 4(b) was amended, until it can be rectified, as a subparagraph and reads as follows: “(vii), in the case of an adult, the substance is cannabis and he or she uses it or is in possession thereof in private for his or her personal consumption in private.” Also in section 5(b) of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 140 of 1992 it states: “(iii) “deal in·’, in relation to a drug, includes performing any act in connection with the transhipment, importation, cultivation, collection, manufacture, supply, prescription, administration, sale, transmission or exportation of the drug; (xiv)” shall now be read as: “other than the cultivation of cannabis by an adult in a private place for his or her consumption in private.”. Consider that these laws were argued against Section 14 of the Constitution which reads: “14. Privacy – Everyone has the right to privacy which includes the right not to have – a) their person or home searched; b) their property searched; c) their possessions seized; or d) the privacy of their communications infringed.” The changes, however, are only valid for 24 months so that the Parliament can rectify these laws and until then the amended laws will be enforced. If the Parliament fails to rectify these constitutional changes these laws will be left as stated in the court order that was handed down on 18 September. Now the question is: what about purchasing and selling of “dagga”? Section 22(A)10 of the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act 101 of 1965 deals with selling and administration of any “Scheduled substance or medicine” for any purpose other than medicinal, subject to the provisions provided therein. The court case also stated the following: “Section 40(1)(h) simply confers power on a peace officer to arrest without a warrant any person who is reasonably suspected of committing or having committed an offence under any law governing, for example, the “possession or conveyance. . . of dependenceproducing drugs.” One of the effects of this judgment is that it is no longer a criminal offence for an adult to use or be in possession of cannabis in private for his or her own personal consumption in private. That means that, after the handing down of this judgment, there will be no law governing possession of cannabis by an adult in private for his or her own personal consumption in private that makes such possession a criminal offence. If that conduct will no longer be a criminal offence, there can be no basis for a peace officer to reasonably suspect an adult in that situation to
be committing or to have committed an offence by being in possession of cannabis.” This all comes down to one point for most people: for the first time in 100 years, it is safe to smoke “dagga” in the privacy of your private residence without biting nails and worrying when the police will bust through a door, or maybe two, to arrest you. It is allowed to home grow your product for personal consumption, dealing in “dagga” is still illegal and should police want to search your home a warrant is required. The effects of “dagga” Dr Leon Pelser (MBChB/DA(SA)) explained what effects dagga can have on a person in an email to The Bulletin: “There are two active chemicals in dagga that make researchers think it may have some medical applications. The first one is “Cannabidiol” (CBD), which seems to impact the brain without a “high”. The second one is “Tetrahydro cannabidiol” (THC), which has pain relieving properties and which is responsible for the “high”.” Dr Pelser continues to explain the effects if “dagga” and alcohol are used together: “Dagga presents clinically 90% in the same way as alcohol intoxication, BUT it is much more harmful to the heart since it causes a rapid heartbeat which may eventually lead to a heart attack at an early age. The symptoms that patients experience when smoking dagga are very similar to those of getting drunk from alcohol. Their eyes become red (congested), the pupils dilate (causing difficulty to focus), thirsty; mood
swings; spells of laughter; talkative; decreased perception and tiredness, but the most dangerous symptom, and this is not present in the alcoholic patient, is the rapid heart palpitations which may lead to a heart attack at an early age. When evaluating a patient who smoked dagga the following may be present: hallucinations, poor concentration, short term memory loss, feelings of depression and deteriorating lung function.” Furthermore, on “dagga” addiction, he says: “… addiction rate (internationally) is only 9%, but the biggest danger is a heart attack at an early age. Those patients who do get addicted to dagga may experience withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms include: restlessness, sleeplessness, depression mood, nausea, lack of appetite, headaches and irrational behaviour. There is no specific drug available to help dagga addiction, so, the moral of the story is: don’t play Russian Roulette with your heart!” Substances at work Lest the public forgets the fact that as an employee a contract was signed and within that employment contract each company has their own rules and regulations regarding the use and consumption of drugs and alcohol. Dr Pelser says: “… on day 6 after smoking dagga ,therefore, the defection of dagga in a patient’s urine can last up to 6 days after smoking a “zol”.” Even though it is legal, be aware of your company’s rules and regulations before ending up in a pickle. The question now is what will happen to people who previously had “dagga” in their possession and obtained criminal records: will those records be expunged or not? Stay tuned for an update on this.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS AN OPINION PIECE ONLY AND CANNOT BE SEEN AS LEGAL ADVICE. CONSULT A LAWYER SHOULD YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. THE BULLETIN CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE NOR RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIONS TAKEN ON THIS ARTICLE. Sources: Full Constitutional Court documents Medicines and related substances Act 101 of 1965. Government Gazette, 15 July 1992, no 14143 – Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act 1992. Dr Leon Pelser (MBChB/DA(SA)). - Ané Prinsloo
WHAT’S UP/News
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So is die lewe
• 017 631 1903 • 017 631 1845 Wie is ons / Who are we: Redaksie / Editorial 017 631 1903
Encee van Huyssteen 082 554 7589 encee@thebulletin.co.za admin@thebulletin.co.za Ané Prinsloo 082 576 8279 ane@thebulletin.co.za news@thebulletin.co.za
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Ds Marius Britz Reuke, smake en geure kan jou in ‘n oogknip terugvat na ‘n ander tyd en ander plek van jou lewe. Die geur van skerp gespeseryde geregte na ‘n toegesneeude Oos-Turkye. Die smaak van maalvleis met baie tamatie in na die Casbahpadkafee in Brakpan. Die reuk van sonbrandolie en spookasem op ‘n stokkie na die Pavilion in Durban. Klanke doen dieselfde. Kris Kristofferson sing in Sunday morning coming down “somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringing/and it took me back to something that I have lost somehow, somewhere along the way.” Die klank van ‘n eensame kerkklok op ‘n Sondagoggend trek jou uit die hier-en-nou na ‘n voorstedelike Springs toe, of na ‘n stowwerige dorpie in die Karoo. Of na Trichardt, die Hoëveldse dorpie wat Sondaeoggende sy roes lê en afslaap na die vorige nag se gedoef-doef, motors wat wegtrek en bande wat skreeu op die teerpad, motorfietse wat teen hoë revolusies wegtrek. En ook, met skrikwekkende reëlmaat, die geluide van ambulanse of polisievoertuie. Maar in Trichardt, en Springs, en baie ander plekke in die land, word sintuiglike herrineringe vasgeknoop aan
treine wat rangeer. Laataand op Trichardtstasie hoor jy hoe die treine teen mekaar stamp, en voel hoe die aarde daarvan vibreer. In Olifantsfontein het die trein direk langs die huis geloop, en as sy geluid hoorbaar geword het in die vêrte, het die kindertjies gehardloop om vir die masjinis te waai. Maar my kleintydherrineringe is meestal vasgeknoop aan die stoomtreine op Springsstasie. As klein seuntjie hoor jy laataand hoe die lokomotief begin stoom uitblaas, sy fluit wat twee keer waarsku, en dan die versnellende wiele wat tjoef-tjoef-tjoef, vinniger en vinniger. Soms gly die wiele as gevolg van die swaar vrag steenkool, dan begin die geluide weer van voor af. Jy lê in jou bed, knus en veilig, skoongeskrop na die buitespeel, grootoog in die donker, en luister na die koesterende geluide van die staalkolos wat jou vertel daar is ‘n wêreld wat nie vanaand slaap nie, buite jou kamer, beweging, mense wat werk. En voor jy aan die slaap raak, glo jy jou enigste probleme in die groot, wye heelal, is die karretjie wat jy laas maand met jou sakgeld gekoop het, wat weggeraak het. Die gekoesterde, veilige enklave van gister en eergister se lewe. Laerskoolkinders wat op hulle eie tydens die Randse Paasskou Johannesburg toe ry. Wat verwonderd by die treinvenster sit en kyk na die Oos Randse stasies wat verbyflits: Brakpan, Benoni, Boksburg, Germiston, Johannesburg. Dan word daar geloop na die skouterrein toe, met nie die minste aanduiding
Tannie poppie se: Kerrie-Kolwyntjies Hierdie resep is ideaal vir daardie dae wanneer jy iets soet en iets sout moet saamneem vir tee. Dis vinnig om te maak en baie lekker. 250 ml bruismeel 125 ml sonneblomolie 125 ml melk Kerrievis, tuna of maalvleis 1. Voorverhit die oond tot 180ºC (350ºC) 2. Meng die bruismeel, olie en melk saam. 3. Skep die beslag in ‘n gesmeerde kolwyntjiepan. 4. Skep die vis, tuna of maalvleis boop en bak 10 minute lank.
Banking details: The Bulletin Absa RBB Commercial Secunda Branch code: 637256 Account number: 408 499 2285 Checque /Current account
COMMUNITY NEWS ORIGINAL ACCURATE FIRST WE SET THE TREND OTHERS FOLLOW
28 September 2018
Die boek word deur Human & Rousseau uitgegee
of ervaring dat dit gevaarlik kan wees vir laerskoolkinders om in Johannesburg se middestad te loop nie. Die hele dag loop jy en jou maters rond op die skou, versamel pamflette van enigiets wat uitgestal word, van swembaddens en stootskrapers, kitare en klaviere, voedselverwerkers vir ma, kraggereedskap vir pa en dan, veral: motorfietse. Suzuki’s en Hondas en Kreidler Florets en Yamahas. En my droomfiets waarna ek ure gestaan en kyk het met groot oë: Die BMW R70. Laataand loop julle terug stasie toe met sakke vol pamflette, arriveer met die laaste trein vir die aand in Springs, en loop terug huis toe teen middernag. Gevaarloos. Skurkloos, kaperloos, ontvoerderloos, moordenaarloos en verkragterloos was ons alledaagse bestaan as kinders. Helaas het daardie lewe, soos baie ander drome, opgehou bestaan. En niks vertel die verhaal van hierdie verskiete drome meer as treine self nie. Sondag se Rapport berig dat ‘n ontspoorde trein met 12 ysterertstrokke al amper twee jaar in die Oos-Kaap langs die spoor lê. By die Flonkeruitwykspoor naby Noupoort in die Noord-Kaap lê drie lokomotiewe, met al hulle trokke ontspoor. Voor diè ontsporing het ‘n elektriese lokomotief amper ‘n jaar lank op dieselfde plek gelê voordat dit uiteindelik in stukke opgesny is. Coenie de Villiers sing in Karoonag: “as die trein by Noupoort fluit/ en dit wegraak in die wind/en ‘n tolbos iewers vaswaai teen
die rand.” So het die vervloë veiligheid van treine weggeraak in die wind, die tolbos van kindweeservaringe iewers teen ‘n rand vasgewaai. Te veel treine is al in die Kaapse Metropool aan die brand gesteek, oor die een of ander duistere rede. Mense word op treine vermoor en in die ry van treine afgegooi. Gister lyk vandag anders, is anders. ’n Voormalige stasiemeester sê volgens die Rapportberig “Wie wil trein ry as jy sien hoe die lokomotiewe in die veld lê?” Inderdaad. Maar soos Joël 2 sê: Ou mense sal drome droom. Die reuke, geure en klanke van gister het jou gemaak wie jy is. Stel jou in staat om te waardeer waar jy vandaan gekom het. En posisioneer jou vir die pad vorentoe. Dit bly jou baken van hoop, omdat jy weet dat die lewe anders kan lyk as wat dit noodwendig tans is. Treinstasies was plekke van lewe. Van beweging. Jy het die lekkerste varsgebakte vleispastei met sous, skyfies en slaai, asook ‘n koppie koffie vir 25 sent gekoop by die kafeteria, terwyl jy op jou trein gewag het. Op die beste porselein en met silwer eetgerei bedien. Jy het jou vyfsentmuntstuk in die modellokomotief gegooi, en gekyk hoe die ratjies draai. Verwonderd oor hoe mooi die lewe kan wees. Stasies was die toevlug van mense wat ‘n lewe gehad het. En ook selfs van mense wat nie ‘n lewe gehad het nie. Baie van hulle het daar skuiling gevind. Die bekende ballade lui: “tussen treine, tussen stasies, lê daar basies net die leë spore.” Daais maar al.
Welkom terug Tannie Poppie Na ‘n lang afwesigheid uit die Bulletin is Tannie Poppie nou weer terug. Tannie Poppie se resepte is weereens deel van die Bulletin. Sy het bekendheid verwerf toe sy aan die Kokkedoor reeks deelgeneem het. Alhoewel Tannie Poppie nie gewen het nie het sy sekerlik die mees bekendste geword en in almal se harte ingekruip as almal se Tannie of Ouma. Die Bulletin is baie bly om weer
Tannie Poppie se resepte in ons koerant te plaas. Sny hom uit of bêre die koerant, maar maak seker dat julle die resepte hou. Ons het 3 eksemplare om weg te gee van Tannie Poppie se kookboek “Tannie Poppie kook weer”. Al wat julle moet doen is om die maklike vragie te antwoord op die Facebook blad of Instagram blad en dan ook ons blad te “like and share”. Dalk is jy net die gelukkige een wat hierdie week een boek kan wen.
28 September 2018
SPORT News
Road in eMba possible mud pool Roads in Govan Mbeki Municipality are always built to lower standards. This is the view of DA Cllr Amos Masina. Amos has written to the Executive Mayor demanding answers regarding Sibiya Street in eMbalenhle that links Kubheka st with Thomas Nhlathi st. This road is directly in front of Thorisong Primary School. The street in question carries a lot of traffic and turns into a mud pool everytime it rains. Soon after the letter was submitted to the Mayor’s office, dolerite was offloaded to start repairs on the road. The dolerite was levelled after a lot of it was stolen. “The problem with this is that now preparations have been done,” said Cllr Masina, “there is no water drainage and the problem will just become worse as we approach the rainy season.” The Bulletin visited the road with Cllr Masina and it is clear that a lot of water will accumulate on the road before it can run off. It will also erode the road rapidly once it starts raining. Cllr Masina questions to the mayor are still unanswered. His questions to the Mayor were: • How much of the budget has been spent in eMbalenhle since the inauguration of the current council in 2016? • How many KM of road was repaired related to the above question? • What efforts have the municipality taken to improve the condition since the problem has been there for some time? The condition poses a danger
to the scholars as they fight for safety and a dry place to walk whilst traffic is moving up and down. “Roads are constantly repaired and then repaired again,” said Cllr Masina,
“it would seem that there is no quality control.” eMbalenhle roads are very bad with sewerage running in most of the streets.
Mpumalanga Department of Co-Operative Governance and Traditional Affairs cuations communities on unwanted veld fires In Mpumalanga, veld and forest fires are a common feature of landscape and are the inevitable consequence of a combination of fire-prone vegetation and a warm, dry climate. The nature of the climatic conditions and vegetation in Mpumalanga leads to unwanted fires in winter season. Ordinarily winter fire season starts in May and ends in October. MEC Speed Mashilo of COGTA says that COGTA’s Disaster Management unit and Disaster Management units in municipalities are on high alert to provide support and monitor the weather conditions to deal with potential disasters in case of emergencies. “We appeal to all our communities to take precautionary and safety measures in cases where
unwanted fires erupt to prevent a loss of lives.” MEC Mashilo said. Mashilo further advised communities about the following: • Don’t make fires in the open and/or leave fires unattended • Don’t throw cigarette butts out of cars or in the open veld • Don’t throw bottles in the veld as they can magnify the sun’s rays and start fires • In the case of a large fires, report it immediately and move away from the area to let the professionals deal with it • Never throw water on a fire started by an electrical fault or fires started by oil or paraffin lamps, rather use sand or a blanket to smother the fire • Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and follow instructions from
Emergency Practitioners Normally when the temperature and the humidity is high at the same time or when the temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the human’s ability to cool their bodies through sweating is reduced. This can be a real threat that leads to hyperthermia. Stay indoors in a cool room near a fan if possible. The old and infirm must take extra care to stay hydrated and cool. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity, playing excessive sport and hard labour. Dress in light weight clothes and drink plenty of liquids, NOT alcohol. Communities are urged to call the Provincial Disaster Toll free number for emergencies. The number is 0800 202 507.
Members of the public were tired of the dirty green strips and together with Councillor Ciska Jordaan launched a clean-up campaign to clear the green strip. Skip go made one of their skips available and the bin was filled in a short while. Thank you to everyone involved
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The circus was in town!
The Bulletin was at the Mclaren Circus on Friday, 21 September. The Mclaren Circus was in town from 20 – 24 September and it was a huge success. The colourful lights, fantastic animal shows, daring acrobats and comical clowns were all on the top of their game. The show started off with lions and Bengal Tigers roaring hallo to the crowd and dancing Michael Jackson’s “Moonwalk”. The acrobats entered the ring after that and gave a spectacular dance performance and was swinging high up in the air. The ring master and clowns gave a hilarious show in between acts and had the crowd in suspense and stitches. With a flash the acrobats were out of the ring and the horses and miniature horses entertained and awed the crowd. After relaxing watching the horses the anticipation levels went up with a daring show of an acrobat placing chairs on top of each other and doing handstands! The snake handler introduced the crowd to an albino python of approximately 2 meters! Heidi also appeared with her goats and gave a sweet performance. During the interval the kids enjoyed a fun ride on the ponies and spectators could take photos with the albino python. After the interval the crowd was amazed by the Velocity Brothers jumping through fire, camels, a balancing act and the show ended with the wheel of death. The poodles were definitely a highlight for most of the kids present. All in all it was a great way to spend the afternoon and worth the watch! Kids and adults alike enjoyed the show and were definitely entertained! - Ané Prinsloo
28 September 2018
28 September 2018
SPORT
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News
28 September 2018
Secunda Rally is here This rally, as well as the Ermelo rally, could decide the championship. Driver Guy Botterill and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle are the current championship leaders. Close on their heels is driver AC Potgieter and navigator Nico Swartz. They are followed by driver Richard Leeke and navigator Henry KÖhne. “I need to win well and Guy needs to make a mistake,” said AC Potgieter “to stand a chance to take the championship.” There are a number of local drivers that also participate in the rally. Come and support all the local drivers in the rally. The special stages at the van der Merwe farms will be very fast stages. One of the stages will see two cars competing head to head with vehicles crossing in the middle.
There is a small bridge that always propels the faster drivers into the air. This is very popular with spectators and photographers. There is also a lot of dust that creates spectacular turns with dust being propelled into the air. The stage at TW Stene is traditionally run partly in a quarry. Over the past few years, it proved to be the Achilles heel for some drivers as the water section caused some vehicles to stall. It is a very popular spot for spectators as people can sit high and have a very long view of the stage. The R2 class is a very fast class with all the cars competing with 1600 (cm3) engines. The open class is more difficult where drivers compete with different engine sizes. 1600’s compete against 1-litre engines. This year’s rally is building up to be a humdinger. Get your chairs, pack your cooler bags, buy the ice and get to the rally. It is not to be missed! Scrutineering will take place at Eastvaal Ford on Thursday night. Come and meet the teams and view the cars. It is always a great night! See you there!
news
28 September 2018
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No agreement reached at CCMA between Solidarity and Sasol No agreement could be reached between Solidarity and Sasol at the CCMA on Wednesday. According to Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann, the mediation was deferred to get more clarity on the final Mining Charter’s wording. Meanwhile, Solidarity’s strike continues. According to Sasol’s latest reports its maintenance project is already about 96 hours behind schedule. Solidarity has also decided to escalate the strike to a day of protest involving all 180 000 of its members. Last week, the High Court set aside a decision by Nedlac not to approve Solidarity’s application for all its members to go on a lawful strike in a show of solidarity with the Sasol workers. Solidarity will again appear before Nedlac this coming Friday. The CCMA became involved in the dispute under section 150 of the Labour Relations Act. According to Hermann, it is not just in the interest of Sasol but of South Africa that the dispute is resolved. “South Africa should not settle for simplistic solutions such as racial exclusion for complex problems,” Hermann said. The final version of the Mining Charter is now serving before Cabinet for approval. According to this charter all workers, irrespective of race,
must be part of employee share ownership plans. Sasol owns coal mines and must therefore comply with the Mining Charter. “Mining Charter negotiations took years to complete and it involved business, government, trade unions and local communities. Through its Khanyisa Plan, Sasol wishes to contravene the agreement
reached between these parties. The point of departure during the charter negotiations was that workers are workers and that they should not be divided on the basis of race. What Sasol is doing now is the complete opposite, namely to cause major racial tension and division,” Hermann warned. Solidarity
PROPERTIES eiendomme
Sasol CCMA Statement Mediation at the CCMA continues Today, Sasol participated in a Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration-facilitated (CCMA) mediation between Sasol and Solidarity, in relation to a dispute on Sasol Khanyisa. The first day of mediation has been concluded and the parties will reconvene at the CCMA on 3 October 2018. At the mediation, Sasol reaffirmed our commitment to transformation and inclusive growth through our Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) programmes, of which Sasol Khanyisa is an important component. We reiterated our position that transformation is, and will remain, a business, social and moral imperative for Sasol. Sasol Khanyisa presents but one step Sasol is taking to bring about a more inclusive economy by affording an opportunity specifically to previously disadvantaged groups, as defined by the Department of Trade and Industry’s B-BBEE codes. We look forward to further constructive engagements with Solidarity when we reconvene. Background Solidarity originally declared a dispute against Sasol in January 2018, objecting to the exclusion of White employees from Sasol Khanyisa Phase 2. After a second round of CCMA discussions, the CCMA issued a certificate of nonresolution in May 2018 after not being able to reach common ground. A certificate of nonresolution does not imply that
Solidarity is correct or that Sasol is wrong, it means that the parties could not find any middle ground, and gives permission to Solidarity to withdraw labour and protest in a safe manner. We value Solidarity’s relationship with Sasol and will ensure that we keep the lines of communication open between us. Sasol Khanyisa Context On 1 June 2018, Sasol Limited officially launched Sasol Khanyisa after having received shareholder approval on 17 November 2017. Our intention is to create meaningful financial benefits for approximately 230 000 Black public shareholders and qualifying employees, and to achieve 25% direct and indirect Black ownership of Sasol South Africa Limited (SSA). We are aware of negative reports and sentiment expressed from various quarters of society against Sasol Khanyisa. These reports are largely premised on a misunderstanding of elements of the transaction pertaining to employee participation. Qualifying Criteria Employee participants in Sasol Khanyisa Phase 1 are ALL permanent Sasol employees, regardless of race, tenure or seniority, who were participants of Sasol Inzalo and still actively employed on 1 June 2018. Phase 2 of Sasol Khanyisa is extended to our Black permanent employees (African, Indian, Coloured), as defined by the DTI Codes of Good Practice. Qualifying employees in Sasol Khanyisa will receive equal shareholding across the organisation. The qualifying criteria for employees are as follows: Phase 1:
All Sasol employees who participated in the Sasol Inzalo Employee Scheme, and who were permanently employed on 1 June 2018, will participate in Phase 1 and are eligible for R100 000 worth of Sasol Ordinary shares, or Sasol BEE Ordinary Shares which will vest in 2021. There were 6 313 White employees and 11 962 Black employees in this Phase at the start of the transaction. Phase 2: All Black employees who were permanently employed on 1 June 2018, participated in Phase 2 and are eligible for 1 240 Sasol Khanyisa rights to shares which will vest in June 2028 or the earlier of settlement of funding obligations. This means that the rights to shares are fully funded through notional vendor financing and any dividends declared over the next 10 years will be used to service the funding obligations and create net value at the end of the empowerment period for participants. There were 18 282 Black employees in Phase 2 at the start of the transaction. Sasol’s Transformation Journey Transformation, in the form of share ownership in Sasol South Africa by previously disadvantaged groups, is an important business, social and moral imperative for Sasol. Sasol Khanyisa is not part of Sasol’s Employee remuneration or benefit structures. It was specifically designed to address the ownership component of the B-BBEE Codes and therefore Sasol Khanyisa primarily focuses on the inclusion of Black employees and public shareholders.
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28 September 2018
Ronél Landman releases CD In the 2 February 2018 edition of the Bulletin we reported about Ronél Landman and her incredible singing talent. A few highlights from the previous article includes: 2015 was a great year for Ronél Landman. Graceland hosted their own “Idols” competition with the Bulletin as media partner. Ronél won one of the semi-finals. She sang for the first time in front of a big crowd in the finals. Although she didn’t win the competition, she made a very good impression on everyone. She has a clean full voice that is bursting with emotion and is very mature and well controlled, even though she had no musical training. Ronél’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah (Alexandra Burke version) was absolutely spot on. She handles the low notes with the same ease as the high ones. It is as close to what Leonard Cohen would have wanted it performed. Listening to her sing “In the arms of an angel” by Sarah McLaughlin a sense of peace ascends on the listener as the notes flow with absolute ease and confidence. In November 2017 Ronél recorded her CD and it has recently been released! She has been waiting since February to share this exciting news with the public! Ronél is still working at Sasol while she is working on her music career. Ronél said that recording for the first time was a scary and fantastic experience. She recorded some of her favourite songs to share with her fans. 2 of Ronél’s CDs are up for grabs! For more details on how to get your hands on one of her CDs, keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages! - Ané Prinsloo
Little Paws needs your help The local SPCA is in the process of restructuring, leaving non-profits like Little Paws Big Hearts (LPBH) with an influx of animals in need to attend to. Currently, LPBH is the only animal welfare and rescue organisation responding to reports of dogs in the streets, dogs chained up, dogs living in the veld, abandoned and abused animals. They also provide veterinary care free of charge to the indigent communities of Secunda. As a non-profit organisation they rely solely on public donations and volunteers and as such these valuable resources are always a struggle to obtain. Unlike more brand established organisations such as the SPCA, they
do not have bakkies and sponsored fuel - something that the SPCA had unfettered access to. Since LPBH is entirety volunteer based, no one draws a salary. Little Paws Big Hearts also rely heavily on volunteers to provide places of safety for animals as we do not have the resources or financial fortitude to open up a dedicated shelter. The Bulletin urges and invites the local community to work with Little Paws Big Hearts and to assist them in filling the void which was left by the problems at the local SPCA branch. There is a number of ways to support Little Paws Big Hearts. Please contact the Bulletin should you be able to help. - Louis Kempen
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28 September 2018
SPORT news
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Arrive Alive at Sasol Junxion on 28 September Secunda Junxion will host an Arrive Alive campaign on Friday, 28 September, at their premises. The campaigns in the past were quite successful in curbing the carnage on our roads. This campaign will once again focus on safe driving and being alert on the road. The following companies will be on hand: Little Paws Big Hearts will have dog poison kits available at a nominal fee. Dog poisoning is on the rise in Secunda. Govan Mbeki Municipality’s Fire Brigade. Govan Mbeki Municipality Traffic Department. Avbob, Lion Security, Roman Alarms, GTR, JTR, Car Doctor, Langamed and the Bulletin. Delta 1 Diving and Rescue will be diving in the dive tank (borrowed from GMM Fire Brigade) and will do a simulated rescue. Chaplain Brad Blake will also attend and be on hand to explain how he can help. The Coca-Cola truck will be in attendance with a DJ to entertain everybody and the Blue Ribbon truck will be offering something special with
every bread bought. One of the main concerns at accident scenes is that it is very difficult sometimes to identify the victims. The following piece was placed on the Arrive Alive web page and it addresses the identification problem very well. Identification of a Patient/Accident Victim In the event of an accident or a medical emergency, it is often a stranger who comes to your rescue. A major concern for many people is the personal identification and the notification of family members in such an event. These strangers who come into our lives are everyday heroes and real-life detectives. First and foremost their job is to save a life but once the patient is stabilised they have to identify the patient, enquire about medical aid and often contact family members. This can be done in numerous ways, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious is to locate a wallet with medical aid card, driver’s license or other forms of identification. If the emergency personnel were not first on the scene this may have been stolen by bystanders. If lucky, the accident or emergency could be in the vicinity
Business Unusual The business community in Secunda, and elsewhere, are facing all sorts of new challenges and difficulties! To stay abreast of best practises and ahead in an ever-changing environment, you have to be well informed! That is the opportunity that this event is bringing to small and medium business ventures, entrepreneurs and interested parties in Secunda. In TED Talk format these wellknown businessmen and creative entrepreneurs will present relevant topics and answers to tough questions for those involved in the business realm. Melvin Jones is the CEO of Proconics and chairman of the Secunda Chamber of Commerce. He is a proactive and innovative leader of this growing business and will present some thoughts and interventions to create a motivating environment for employees. Jacques Basson has been in the UK for 14 years and started a business there. He decided to come back to South Africa because he believes that there are more opportunities
for entrepreneurs here. He will share his experiences in advertising and motivate businesses to use creative marketing as an important tool to achieve success. Etiket is an award winning advertising agency in Gauteng, which is only one of the ventures of Janhendrik Oosthuizen. He is currently involved in strategic BEE plans for Land Rover (and other companies) and will give us some insight into the skills development platforms structured around B-BBEE Business Models. Although this is a fundraising effort by the Oosterland School, the idea is to provide solutions and share lessons that can be of use for everyone. The organisers believe that there will be something tangible from this event that can be implemented to help your business grow into the future. The school can present businesses who purchase tickets with an Article 18 A, invoice and receipt. Tickets can be booked at bemarking@ oosterland.co.za or phone 0827860134.
For all your towing needs contact Jaco Horn Jnr on 081 535 1058 or 072 204 7198
of home or work where the patient is easily identifiable. Then a bystander may be able to provide emergency personnel with the relevant information. In our technology-driven world, the cell phone has been invaluable in assisting. Internationally the acronym I.C.E ( In Case of Emergency) is used to identify a contact person on an individuals cell phone for such an event. In the event of a motor vehicle accident, if Metro Police is on scene the
patient may be identified by tracing the number plates. This is only helpful if the driver is the registered owner of the motor vehicle. As mentioned before, this is real-life detective work and can be challenging for emergency personnel who have numerous tasks to complete in a short space of time in a largely uncontrolled environment. Please ensure that you have proper identification on you as well as your medical aid information.
School/sport
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Goedehoop Hokkie Mpumalanga-kampioene Die o/12-hokkieseuns is gekroon as Mpumalanga-kampioene op Saterdag, 15 September 2018, in Ermelo. Voor: EJ Venter, Xander Herbst, Jayden Joubert, Juliun Cosmo, Handré
Griessel, Brink le Grange, Brink van Zyl Agter: Me. Illse Jordaan (Afrigter), Jarno Haarhoff, Ryan Erasmus, Marlou Coetzer, Nico Viljoen, JV Britz, Rickardt van Heerden
28 September 2018
Op Saterdag, 8 September 2018, het die Klub Landloop te Port Elizabeth plaasgevind. Elri Kruger van Goedehoop behaal ‘n 2de plek in die dogters o/11 afdeling en Liam Olivier hardloop ‘n 1ste plek los vir seuns o/9. Elri Kruger, Liam Olivier
The superhero staff of Highveld Ridge Primary, all having fun on Casual Day
Plaaslike stoeiers presteer Op Saterdag, 15 September 2018, het Secunda Stoeiklub deelgeneem aan die Mpumalanga Stoei Kampioenskappe en Proewe. Die volgende stoeiers is 2018 Mpumalanga Stoei Kampioene: Hendrik Nel – 0/9 jaar, Zak Manaia – 0/10 jaar, Tyrone Swanepoel – 0/10 jaar, Tiaan Carelse 0/11 jaar en President Skole, Jordan Webb – President Skole Vrystyl, Grieks – Romeins 0/13 en President Junior. Nico van den Berg – Junior, President Junior en Senior - Vrystyl, Junior, President Junior en Senior - Grieks Romeins Tweede Plekke. Reagen Meyer 0/9 jaar, Hein Meyer Skole President, Zak Manaia Skole President, Tyrone Swanepoel Skole President. Derde Plekke. Rick Robinson 0/10, Ludolph Steenkamp, Jordan Webb 0/13 Jaar, Reagen Meyer Skole President,
Secunda Stoeiklub het 22 plekke behaal uit 25 inskrywings. Na afloop van die Proewe is daar n Mpumalanga Stoeispan gekies om aan die SA Jeug Stoeikampioenskappe te gaan deelneem -5 & 6 Oktober 2018 – in Kaapstad. Die volgende Secunda Stoeiklub Lede is in die Mpumalanga Span: Stoeiers: Reagen Meyer, Zak Mania, Jordan Webb (Vrystyl en Grieks – Romeins), Tiaan Carelse, Zara D’Abbadie, Spanbestuurder: Elma Webb. Skeidsregters: Hennie Bezuidenhout, Nico van den Berg. Afrigter: Johan van den Berg. Admin: Manie van den Berg, Lollie van den Berg. Baie geluk aan almal met verkiesing tot die Mpumalanga Stoeispan. Op Saterdag, 29 September 2018, vind Lake Umuzi Festival Stoei Toernooi plaas in die SASOL Sportsaal. Inweeg is om 08h00, opening is om 09h00 en stoei sal om 09h30 begin op 2 matte. Ingang is gratis en heerlike verversing sal te koop aangebied word. Stoeiers van Mpumalanga en buur Provinsisies gaan aan die toernooi deelneem.
JD van Coller van Kruinpark het 1ste plek behaal tydens die English-telling Competition wat die 18de September plaasgevind het. Hy gaan deur na die volgende rondte wat 12 Oktober plaasvind.
28 September 2018
sport
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Graceland Ladies’ Open huge success On Thursday, 20 September, Graceland hosted their annual Ladies’ Golf Open. Ladies came from far to enjoy the day and it turned out to be a success. Golf isn’t as easy as it looks and takes a lot of skill to get the ball to go where you would like it to go. The ladies had to deal with a strong wind on the day but that did not deter their fighting spirits! The Graceland greenkeeping staff ensured the course was in tip top shape. The greens were fast and the fairways clear. When the ladies turned at the halfway house there was an air of competitiveness. The scores were very close and the ladies determined to settle old scores. All is fair in love and war… After the golf the ladies were spoiled
with hamburgers and refreshments to boot. They sat around round tables and giggled about old stories and new ones, how the day went and who did what and when. The winners of nearest to pin were: Leonie van Grenen on no. 6, Wilma van Rensburg on no. 9, Fienie Siebrits on no. 12 and Mariaan Erasmus on no. 15. These ladies are not scared to hit a ball and the longest drive prizes went to Sandra Spies on no. 8 and Christa Prinsloo on no. 14. Fienie Siebrits, Ladies’ captain at Graceland, won the day with a total gross score of 88 points. The sponsors were the Graceland Golf Committee, Flexiforce, Graceland Hotel Casino and Country Club and Renet van Biljon. - Ané Prinsloo
Oosterland Eerstespan krieketseuns wen die liga, maar mik vir Mpumalanga kampioene: Dit was ‘n baie goeie seisoen vir die Oosies krieket. Die Eerstespan het 5 uit 5 wedstryde gewen en is dus die Gert Sibande en Nkwagla streek wenners. Die span speel nou in die semi-finaal vir die Mpumalanga trofee op 15 Oktober. Daar is twee spelers wat honderdtalle aangeteken het tydens die seisoen: Adriaan Prinsloo (111) en Mfiso Mngomezulu (100). Oosterland krieket het so goed gedoen die afgelope tyd dat hulle heel waarskynlik sal opskuif na die Superliga in die komende jaar. Dit sal alles afhang van die uitslae in die semien finaal. Maar met harde werk van die Krieketkliniek en die organiseerder van Oosie-krieket, mnr Nicus Boshoff, is die mikpunt om Mpumalanga wenners te wees in 2018!
28 September
2018
Bulletin
Stefan Diedericks, Cohen “Dr Kush” de Waal, Vince “His Majesty” Nkosi, Cedric “The Dominator” Doyle, Smit “Malboer” Steyn, Heinrich “The Hound Dog” Wiese, Paul “Piksteel” Ronge and Hendrik “The Beast” van der Merwe in the back These fighters are all in fight camp under the strict supervision of Coach Cedric.
Fightstar 36 is fast approaching