IT IS no small feat that Enoch Sontonga – born in Uitenhage in 1872 – composed South Africa’s national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

And that the designer of South Africa’s iconic flag – said to be the world’s third-best known – attributes his success in heraldry to the nurturing of the Eastern Cape when he was a student at Rhodes University.

Sontonga’s descendants still live in Uitenhage and Frederick Brownell, now in his 70s, lives in Pretoria. Brownell also designed the Eastern Cape coat of arms.

“The powerful impact the Eastern Cape has on people is evident in the immense contributions of Enoch Sontonga and Frederick Brownell,” said Nomfundo wakwa Luphondwana, general manager of provincial communication in the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier.

“Today we celebrate 16 years of freedom and democracy. It marks a milestone in the history of our nation – and a time to reflect and celebrate the journey that we travelled to achieve our freedom and democracy.

“These two national heroes must be commended for the massive role they have played in shaping the symbolic backdrop of South African freedom.”

Sontonga’s beautiful hymn brought comfort and joy to millions of people during the struggle years.

Read more »

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background) and the rubbish dumped on the ground is causing concern for Redhouse residents, who say the municipality doesn’t listen to their appeals for the area to be cleaned up.

IN The Herald on Thursday I saw the municipal dumpsite eyesore in Rosedale (“Separate Uitenhage from Mandela Bay!”), so I took some pictures of the Redhouse dumpsite which has the same problem. The Redhouse residents also blame the municipality for poor service delivery.

Phoning them does not help. Hopefully they will see this in The Herald and clear all the rubbish. – D Robertson, Redhouse, Port Elizabeth

source: The Weekend Post

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by Sipho Masondo HERALD REPORTER masondos@avusa.co.za

MORE land reform farms in the Eastern Cape have failed due to infighting and lack of capital and skills. Two weeks ago The Herald reported that several farms in the Addo area had failed and were auctioned off, and a new investigation has highlighted problems in the Gamtoos valley area.

The aim of land reform is to transfer 30 per cent of agricultural land to the previously disadvantaged over the next 15 years. This is done by grouping people together and giving then grants to purchase farms.

In the Cacadu region alone 90000ha of land has been distributed to more than 12000 beneficiaries at a cost of more than R370-million.

The latest farms to run into problems include:

In the Uitenhage area last year 22 beneficiaries auctioned their 674ha farm for about R1,1-million because they couldn‘t continue farming any more. The group owed the Land Bank about R400000, which with interest had escalated to about R600000.

Another set of 12 beneficiaries, the Hlanganani Trust from Motherwell, sold off its farm of 70ha for about R650000 in 2007 to a white farmer.

In Hankey the Peter Family Trust, with 10 beneficiaries, were last month rescued by the South African Fruit Exporters after the Land Bank threatened to auction the farm to recoup money it had loaned them in 2000. This was the second time the Land Bank had threatened to auction the farm.

The 36ha farm has no electricity or farming implements, and citrus trees are dying.

The 42 Dankbaar Farm beneficiaries in Hankey are having similar problems. Workers haven‘t been paid since January. There is no electricity on the 256ha farm, meaning citrus trees cannot be watered. Beneficiaries have accused each other of misappropriating funds. White farmers in the area are said to have expressed interest in buying the farm.

In Patensie a group of 200 beneficiaries have leased out 35ha of their 300ha farm to a white farmer to prevent the farm from going under. In 2006 Patensie Citrus rescued the group when the land bank threatened to auction the farm because of a R1,2-million loan it couldn‘t service.

David Uithaler, leader of 22 beneficiaries from Uitenhage of a farm which was auctioned, said: “I stayed at the farm for four years but I couldn‘t cope. We didn‘t have money to take the farm forward. We are very anxious to get farms, but you must have money to run them. My purpose was to produce food to feed the country, but if you don‘t have money you can‘t live up to the idea.”

Hazel Peter of the Peter Family Trust said they had decided to go into a joint venture with the South African Fruit Exporters which has promised to revive the farm and bring it to production.

But this will be at the expense of dividends in the next two years.

“We just want our farm to be saved,” she said, adding that the were also conflicts between the beneficiaries.

A land affairs department official said he would have liked to see more success with land reform. “It‘s not doing well. We need more support for these projects. We distribute land but we also try to help with technical skills and this is not our responsibility, but that of the department of agriculture.”

Department of agriculture spokesman Fikile Black said emerging farmers should approach the district offices and request assistance, which was subject to the availability of funds.

“We also have extension officers who assist farmers with skills.”

source: Weekend Post

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THE Nelson Mandela Bay metro‘s Business Confidence Index continued to decline in January “under recessionary economic conditions and low levels of both business and consumer confidence”.

The decline came amid the economy contracting by -1,8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, the first annual retail sales decline in nine years, and a 22% plunge in manufacturing output.

The index, compiled for the regional business chamber, tracks the performance of 15 key economic indicators chosen from those available that are believed to “best reflect the business mood in the PE/Uitenhage area”.

These include the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index for the metro; the prime rate at month end; the rand-dollar exchange rate; retail sales in the Eastern Cape; the total number of new cars sold in the metro; the value of building plans passed and completed; the Consumer Confidence Index for the metro by the Bureau for Economic Research of Stellenbosch University, and number of passengers arriving at the PE airport.

But Dr Neil Bruton, compiler of the index, says current developments “will ultimately yield a consolidation in the rate at which the index is declining at present”.

“The inflation rate is set to decline rapidly in 2009 and … interest rates are set to decline, probably steeply. Furthermore, households and businesses are addressing their debt positions, with growth in credit extension to the private sector down to 11,9% in January, the lowest since November 2004, and with growth in demand for mortgage finance falling to the lowest level since mid-2003.”

The indicators that supported the index through January included significant declines in the trend cycles of the metro inflation and prime interest rates; continued growth in the real value of buildings completed and steady growth in value of those passed; and marginal growth in the trend cycle of retail sales.

Negative indicators included the “steep decline” in new cars sold and the “declining” number of airport passenger arrivals.

“The level of consumer confidence in the Eastern Cape, while reflecting a generally declining trend, remained unchanged.”

source: The Weekend Post

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NELSON Mandela Bay soccer fans who fail to secure tickets to watch 2010 World Cup matches at the 48000-seater stadium in Port Elizabeth can also experience the atmosphere at the official fan park at no cost.

Sahara Oval St George‘s, which will accommodate 35000 to 40000 fans, has been earmarked as the venue for the fan park in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, and this has been approved by the council.

“St George‘s is seen as the ideal venue for a fan park as it has the capacity to house the thousands of people who will be wanting to be there,” municipal spokesman Kupido Baron said.

“The ground has shown that it is very capable of housing this number of people during cricket games.”

The fan park concept was introduced during the 2006 World Cup in Germany and proved to be a huge success, prompting the soccer governing body, Fifa, to implement them in subsequent tournaments.

“The metro will only be hosting eight World Cup games, but the fan parks will be open throughout the tournament – for all 30 days. There will be cases where people will be asked to pay if they want to be in the VIP section or other sections that provide hospitality services, but ordinary people will be going in for free. These parks will create a vibe for the tournament and will be the focal point internationally on the days when there are no games played in the city. We want the fan parks to be jam-packed as they will be the main gathering place,” said NMB 2010 local organising committee executive director Errol Heynes.

The fan park will be equipped with a large viewing screen which will run in conjunction with other public viewing areas around the city, with all the games being shown in taverns, restaurants and pubs throughout the city.

“We have not yet planned on the issue of public viewing areas. As they are quite an expensive area, we have to look at the costs that come with it,” Heynes said.

It is a Fifa requirement that all host cities have an official fan park – one per stadium – but public viewing sites can be in both host cities and non-host cities.

The public viewing areas will be spread across the Eastern Cape, including rural areas.

Food vendors who frequent local stadiums are not allowed to trade at the official fan park. According to the agreement between Fifa and host cities, only commercial Fifa affiliates, including Coca-Cola, Budweiser and McDonald‘s, will be allowed to advertise and trade at fan parks.

“Although vendors will not be allowed to sell their goods inside the venue, they will be allowed to trade outside – around Rink Street, Parliament Street and St George‘s,” Heynes said.

Fans will also have a free shuttle bus service to ferry them around Rink, Parliament, Donkin and Chapel streets –- with an entertainment area at the Donkin Reserve.

“We are also looking at ensuring that we have trains coming in and out regularly, especially from Uitenhage, to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of the fans,” he said.

source The Herald

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by Meshack Khotha (Sowetan)

An amount of R100000 was raised during a fundraising golf tournament held at the Uitenhage Golf Course in the Eastern Cape at the weekend. This was a dream come true for Butityi “BK” Konki, boss of BK Investment Holdings, who was the organiser of the one- day event to celebrate his 50th birthday.

“It has been my wish to stage a development tournament in Uitenhage. I am chuffed about the way things happened and would like to thank all participants who made this day a success.

“ The money that was raised in this tournament will benefit aspirant golfers at school level in the area,” said Konki, who added that the event will be held yearly .

It was the second development tournament sanctioned by Konki after the successful Butityi Konki Schools Rugby Tournament won by Solomon Mahlangu High School last season. Konki’s 50th birthday celebrations ended with a glittering function at the Barkly Theatre in Uitenhage on Saturday.

Prominent people who attended the tournament included former Springbok manager Zola Yeye and former Uitenhage Springboks Morgan Cushe and Vusunzi Nakani. Others were Eastern Cape MEC for sports, arts and culture Noxolo-Abraham Ntatiso and boxing legends Philip Ndou, Dingaan Thobela and Welcome Ncita.

source: Sowetan newspaper

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UP-AND-COMING young Nelson Mandela Bay golfer Jamie-Lee Daniels, 9, is eager to meet international ace Tiger Woods.

Jamie-Lee, who was the youngest golfer at the Nedbank Eastern Cape women‘s amateur competition held at the Humewood course yesterday, was playing in Group C because she has a 27 handicap. Her sister Kim, 13, was playing in Group A because she has a six handicap.

“I want to ask Tiger to teach me a few golf tricks”, said the Uitenhage girl, who is following in her sister‘s footsteps.

“I also want to win a golf scholarship like my sister Kim and study at a private school like Glenwood in George, where she is. After I‘m finished with my matric I will want another scholarship so that I can study overseas, but I‘m not sure what I want to do.”

The Riebeek College, Uitenhage, Grade 4 pupil says she was born with golf. “I used to go with my father and sister when they went to practise, but I started playing golf at the age of four at the Uitenhage Golf Club, which is near our house.”

Though she doesn‘t remember her first day, Jamie-Lee now plays for the Eastern Province under-12 boys‘ team because there is no girls‘ team.

Last year she took part in the BJGF inter-provincial golf tournament.

Kim won the SA under-18 Rose Bowl tournament in Bloemfontein in November, which earned her an Ernie Els scholarship to Glenwood. Both girls have attended several national and provincial tournaments, giving them a lot of exposure to the sport.

Their parents, both high school teachers, are very supportive of their choice of sport.

Jamie-Lee‘s mother Fredaline had to take an extra job as a part-time lecturer to finance her golf trips, and her father is coaching her.

“I‘m proud of both my daughters,” said Manie Daniels. “The sport has taught them discipline.”

source The Herald

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MAYHEM erupted as hundreds of striking taxi drivers ran amok early yesterday, hurling stones at offices and passing cars, attacking municipal workers, setting a vehicle alight, blocking rush- hour traffic and crippling businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Amid widespread condemnation over the wave of violence, urgent talks between city officials and taxi representatives collapsed late last night with defiant drivers vowing the wildcat strike would continue today, leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

Police, who yesterday drafted in reinforcements including the crack flying squad and rapid response unit members, will be on “high alert”. Police Captain Rassie Erasmus declared: “We will not let taxi drivers hold the city to ransom”.

The drama unfolded yesterday when more than 300 taxi drivers opposed to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system being implemented for the 2010 World Cup blocked major roads including the N2 freeway near Bluewater Bay and the Uitenhage road near Vista University.

Police arrested six people for public violence and confiscated “a number of taxis blocking the roads”. Motorists were left fuming in long traffic jams while many commuters were unable to get to work.

Traffic police and SAPS vehicles were stoned while a municipal vehicle was set alight outside Brister House in Govan Mbeki Avenue.

Police spokesman Captain Johann Rheeder said about 30 men ran up to a municipal car and smashed the windows. “They poured petrol on the car and set it alight.”

Yesterday‘s havoc follows an orgy of violence and looting, which raged in several parts of the city last November, leaving one person dead and others injured.

Police in Nyalas were deployed to quell the protests and officers were forced to fire rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

Nelson Mandela Bay municipal spokesman Kupido Baron said last night: “These violent actions do not belong in a peace-loving society.”

He added that workers at a BRT construction site in Govan Mbeki Avenue were attacked and offices stoned.

However a defiant metro public transport forum spokesman Melekile Hani told The Herald last night: “We are pledging our solidarity to our comrades. We are not going back to work! Until the municipality agrees to suspend work at BRT sites, and we secure the release of our arrested comrades, the strike continues. We apologise to commuters, but they must understand we are at war!”

Meanwhile, Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Odwa Mtati said the strike had “succeeded in causing maximum disruption” to businesses. “The shock of it was that no warnings were issued, so it‘s been very disruptive, especially since large parts of the industry only re-opened on Monday.”

The motor industry, particularly General Motors SA, was hit hard. GMSA spokesman Denise van Huyssteen said: “We are disappointed by the surprise strike, which has impacted on our ability to assemble vehicles.

“We only resumed full operations yesterday following a four-week break. Such actions send negative signals about doing business in this country, particularly at a time when we should be promoting political and economic stability.”

Eveready “definitely felt the impact of the strike”, spokesman Curt Bosman said. “Our workers on the afternoon shift have to leave earlier because they won‘t find taxis later, so we‘ll have to stop production. We might not even have nightshift.”

The DA also condemned the violence and chaos. Eastern Cape transport spokesman Pine Pienaar said: “The situation is just not acceptable”.

Kupido said the strike was especially disappointing “since this disruptive behaviour followed after an important meeting on Tuesday between the mayor and the industry.

“A task team consisting of representatives of the taxi industry and the municipality was established with the sole mandate to prepare for a transport indaba which will address the concerns of role-players in the industry.

“Despite this progressive step, some members of the taxi industry still went ahead with strike action and as a result inconvenienced many commuters who unfortunately rely solely on public transport.”

source : The herald

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Melody Brandon WEEKEND POST REPORTER brandonm@avusa.co.za

THE eagerly-awaited Apple iPhone, released earlier this month complete with all the frills and fancies craved by gizmo-lovers, has seen cellphone stores in the Eastern and Southern Cape cleared out of their stock by frenzied buyers.

Not only are the young- at-heart clamouring for the latest cellphone toy which sells for R9000 for the handset on its own or R2000 and more on a two-year contract, but youngsters are also managing to get their mitts on the prized gadget.

Already some teenagers’ relentless nagging has paid off with brow-beaten parents flocking to stores en masse to buy the product for children as young as 14 years old, according to sales staff.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from Apple (company) fans who are familiar with the brand. The younger age group are our biggest buyers,” said Naasig Seharnick, a Port Elizabeth cellphone salesman at Cellucity. “Parents come in and pay cash for the phone.”

As if a complete library of music or photo albums was not enough, the phone also gives frequent Twitter updates“, short, SMS-like sentences stating what friends are up to throughout the day on the internet, as well as users’ global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates.

East London cellphone salesman Renier North said despite the option of other cellphones which could do “similar things”, the iPhone was still coming out tops, especially among Apple technology lovers.

George salesman Geovan Theron said his customers chose the handset over all the others available. “With the iPhone you are getting the raw product that you can download applications for, so you can choose what you want,” he said.

And although better-halves might be occupying second place to the shiny toy, they can feel treasured as its handy GPS positioning means they can check up on their loved ones day or night, with their current co-ordinates posted on the internet via Twitter.

But with the lightening release of new technology comes the quicker pace of replacements, with website giants Google on the cusp of releasing their answer to the iPhone, the G1, or Google phone, heading to South Africa next year.

Techno-junkies say it’s bad news for Apple, but good news for consumers.

For those wanting to read a first-hand iPhone user’s account, log onto Justin McCabe’s blog and scroll down to the iPhone blog entry.

source: Weekend Post
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