The Rep 8 February 2019

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2 Tel: (045) 839-4040 Editorial: mcharter@tisoblackstar.co.za - advertising: charodinev@tis o bl a ck s t a r. c o . z a THE REPRESENTATIVE 8 Februar y 2019 Armed robbers nabbed in shop Last Monday night, Red Guard response officers attended to a panic alarm at a tavern where they apprehended a suspect who was beating up his girlfriend who had run into the tavern for help. The suspect was handed over to the police, operations manager Willie Reinecke told The Rep. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, response officers on patrol in Lady Frere noticed a window at a furniture store was b r o ke n . They called the st o r e ’s security company who called the key holder. The response officers assisted the manager to check the premises and a guard was posted on site. Response officers were summoned by a panic alarm on Thursday night to a store where a suspect had stolen several cold drinks. The owner declined to open a criminal case after the suspect paid for the stolen items. That afternoon response officers attended to a panic at a shop where they attempted to apprehend three suspects armed with knives who had tried to rob a female s h o p ke e p e r. Police officers passing by saw what was happening and assisted the response officers to apprehend the three suspects. On Saturday night, response officers attended to a panic at a tavern where they assisted a patron who had been stabbed in the head with a knife. They remained with the injured person until the ambulance arrived. PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS THINKING THAT CRIME CAN ONLY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE AND DOING NOTHING TO PREPARE YOURSELF OR TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES JUST IN CASE, MAKES YOU THE PERFECT VICTIM CRIMINALS ARE LOOKING FOR. 35 Ebden Street, Komani Tel: 045 839 7228 | 044 010 0541 | Fax: 045 838 2430 RAIN AT LAST: The level of the Bonkolo Dam, which was at 0%, has risen to 6% after last weekend’s storm. The dam level is, however, still too low for water to be drawn from it Picture: ANDISA BONANI Old Queenian has an oily solution ANDISA BONANI Former Queen’s College pupil Vusumzi Mesatywa, 26, has embarked on an unorthodox business venture of extracting oil from the marula fruit kernels, sometimes infusing them with cannabis oil. Mesatywa was introduced to marula oil extraction in 2016 by his friends who were involved with the farmers’ association in Pretoria, while he worked for a software development company. He said he became interested in the development after he learned about the health benefits of the organic oil and was eager to learn to extract the oil himself. “I became interested in the oil and extraction thereof because of the people in my circle at the time who were into this kind of business. I started selling the oil for myself and developed a client base which led me to quitting my job and focusing more on the business which I initially I did on the side.” Mesatywa indicated his flagship product was the marula oil but he also infused it with cannabis oil on request. He said the oil could be used as a hair moisturiser and also for skin conditions like eczema. “I generally make natural cosmetic products including organic soaps and moisturising creams. I am looking to expand and focus more on the production side rather than being a retailer because it is less competitive. Profit margins are affected because the retailer determines what they are willing to pay for your product, so you do not have a say about the value of your product.” Mesatywa said he travelled to Mpumalanga and Limpopo, areas with subtropical temperatures and where the marula fruit was most prevalent, to get his fruit ke r n e l s . “I currently do not own an oil pressing machine, so when I travel back from getting the kernels I have to first go to Pretoria where my friends have a pressing machine. I return with the oil and package and label it from home in Westbourne where my business operates.” Mesatywa said what attracted him to Komani were the unused factories in Queendustria where he hoped to acquire space and operate. “I have since learned it is not easy to navigate the politics in Komani which is what is needed these days to MAKING SURE: Vusumzi Mesatywa conducting product inspection before it goes to clients at his family home in Westbourne, from where he operates Picture: SUPPLIED access anything belonging to the local authority or government in general. I have tried unsuccessfully to get space in Queendustria even though there are businesses which have nothing to do with production operating there.” BEEF CHUCK PORK KNUCKLES & STEW MUTTON CUTLETS / ROAST ROYAL TOMATO SAUSAGE BEEF SHORT RIB A GRADE FROZEN PORK MINCE CHICKEN DRUMMETTES CHICKEN TAILS CHICKEN HEARTS TOP CLASS SPICE MIX 200G CHILLY SUPER WHITE 2.5KG MAIZE MEAL HULLETS SUGAR 1KG PEPSI MAX (SUGARFREE) 2LT EGGS 60S LARGE VEG COMBO - Carrots 1kg, Beetroot 1kg, Tomato Econo 1kg, Onions 2.5kg, Potatoes Small 2.5kg E&OE-WHILE STOCKS LAST-LIMITED QUANTITIES WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW SPECIALS WITHOUT NOTICE SPECIALS VALID FOR THE 8 TH & 9 TH FEBRUARY ONLY Visit us on Facebook: Mabovula Butchery Queenstown R59.95 KG R32.95 KG R84.95 KG R34.95 KG R64.95 KG R49.95 KG R34.95 KG R14.95 KG R26.95 KG R 7.95 EA R11.95 EA R13.95 EA R11.95 EA R74.95 EA R50.00 PER COMBO ISAZISO MALUNGA NESICELO SELAYISENISI NGOKOMTHETHO WEEMVELISO ZEPETROLEUM, 1977 (UMTHETHO 120 KA 1977) Oku kukwazisa bonke abanomdla okanye abachaphazelekayo ukuba iAMABHELE FUELS (PTY) LTD, ebizwa ngokuba “ngofake isicelo” apha, ifake isicelo selayisenisi yeNTENGISO, inombolo yesicelo ngu B/2019/01/31/0003 ERF 10933 QUEENSTOWN 02 CATHCART STREET QUEENSTOWN Injongo yesicelo kukuba ofake isicelo anikwe ilayisenisi yokwenza imisebenzi yeNTENGISO Yepetroleum njengoko kucacisiwe kwisicelo. Amalungiselelo okubona iimpepha zesicelo angenziwa ngokuqhagamshelana noMlawuli weeMveliso zePetroleum: Ngomnxeba: (043) 703 6007 Ngefeksi: 086 592 1636; or Nge e-mail: yolisa.sunduzwayo@energy.gov.za Ukuchasana nokunikezelwa kwelayisenisi ngokwesicelo, kufuneka kubonakalise ngokucacileyo inombolo yesicelo engasentla, kufuneka kwenziwe kuMlawuli weeMveliso zePetroleum zingaphelanga iintsuku zokusebenza ezingamashumi amabini (20) ukususela kumhla esipapashwe ngawo esi saziso. Ukuchasana okunjalo kungenziwa kwezidilesi zilandelayo: Idilesi yesitalato Idilesi yeposi The Controller of Petroleum Products The Controller of Department of Energy Petroleum Products ¿ 13 Phillip Frame Road Private Bag X13011 First Floor, Chiselhurst Cambridge East London East London 5247 5206 Too much spent on fuel ZINTLE BOBELO The expenditure on fuel was a major issue raised in an Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality special council meeting. The meeting was held to present the draft annual report for the 2017-18 year, including the mayor’s quarterly budget report for the second quarter ending December 2018 and mid-year budget assessment as at the end of December 2017. Some councillors opposed the proceedings of the meeting, claiming it was illegal and the reports had not been tabled in the finance committee and requested the meeting to be called off. Mayor Sisisi Tolashe appealed to them to proceed with the agenda. Members of the EFF did not stay. Fuel expenditure was R62,640.15 in October 2018, R202,410.37 in November and R620,989.61 in December. This despite the fact that municipal offices were closed from December 14 and waste vehicles were not operating. According to the mayor’s quarterly budget report, there has been an under collection of revenue of R74m. Expenditure on overtime was R321,364.17 in October; R364,963.97 for November and R335,826.04 in December. The council had resolved last year that staff were required to take hours off in lieu of payment. The report tabled amounts still owed by government departments in December 2018 and stated “from November, there was a huge movement from the previous month due to more than 90 days r at e p ay e r s ’ debts that were handed over to Revco an that had been reversed back to their original accounts”. The departments include education, health, national and provincial public works, agriculture, social development, housing, Chris Hani District Municipality and the East Cape Development Corporation. The report also gave a summary of staff and councillors who were owing the municipality. Staff accounts in October were R88,293.96, R368,631.76 in November and R333,489.69 for December. Councillors owed R21,123.37 in October, R41,025.51 in November and R56,440.44 in D e c e m b e r. The report stated, “The Municipal Systems Act Code of Conduct prohibits councillors and officials to owe rates and services for more than three months” and the revenue section was experiencing challenges to identify the correct addresses and accounts of councillors. DA councillor Chris de Wet said, “We are bankrupt. We know the main concern is revenue collection and we have to question the leadership and the people in those departments. Our expenses are way too high, especially relating to staff, accommodation etc.” Chief operating officer Gcobani Mashiya acknowledged, “I must indicate there is some money owed by departments and there are measures in place to collect this. We issued letters of demand whereby they were given seven days to pay. We are currently in the process of disconnecting the government departments for money that is owed. We have dispatched a team for this.” Newly appointed and uncontested council speaker Brenda van Heerden thanked the council for affording her the opportunity to take over after it had received the resignation of councillor Nkululeko Ngcefe, who had served for a week as speaker. “I have listened to the councillors when nominations were done. I do not take this for granted because I have made a declaration to serve the people of Enoch Mgijima and I will not be able to do that as an individual, but only with the support of the entire council and the community,” said Van Heerden Sonwabile Nomandela was introduced as the acting municipal manager and will serve in the position until April 10 2019. Tolashe indicated the administrator would present his report by the end of February.
THE REPRESENTATIVE 8 Februar y 2019 Tel: (045) 839-4040 mcharter@tisoblackstar.co.za - advertising: charodinev@tisoblackstar. c o . z a 3 Storm leaves residents in the dark ANDISA BONANI The electricity lines near the Mlungisi substation in Komani were struck by lightning on Sunday afternoon, leaving several areas in the town without power until the following day. Residents in Westbourne, Melton Gardens, Amberdale 1 and 2 and Nkululekweni were left in the dark until Monday evening. Westbourne resident Khuthala Lingani queried why residents in the area were connected to the Mlungisi substation when they previously were connected to the Western substation. “I do not understand how this municipality operates. We have been connected to Kings Park for a long time and when that substation experienced faults, we were moved to the one in Mlungisi. The next time that substation blows up it, will be because of overload which is always their excuse. They should not be chopping and changing substations every time there is a problem, but must fix whatever issue there is and residents need to understand this when there is an outage and be patient.” Lingani said the storm that hit Komani and surrounding areas, was much needed by everyone because it had not rained in a long time, and if that came with a power outage for a few hours, then so be it. A huge storm that hit the Eastern Cape over the weekend left 100,000 Eskom customers without power. A statement on the power utility’s website said Eskom technicians were inundated with power outages and were working hard to fix them and restore power to affected households. The power outages due to the lightning strike come after the Western substation in Kings Park was BAD CONDITION: The swimming pools in Top Town are being vandalised and have been closed for 10 years Pictures: ZINTLE BOBELO vandalised and items to the value of R100,000 were stolen last Thursday. The Rep reported (“S u b st at i o n thef t”, February 1) that Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) spokesperson Gcobani Msindwana had said there were precautionary measures, such as introducing access cards to the substation, in place to ensure there were no further break-ins. “We suspect sabotage to be the main reason for this vandalism because the electricians indicated that if the manipulation of the transformer had been done by someone with no technical expertise, a fatal incident might have occurred.” Msindwana thanked all residents who had experienced power outages due the lightning strike and vandalism of the Western substation, for their patience while power was being r e st o r e d . LIGHTNING STRIKES: The Mlungisi substation where close-by lines were struck by lightning, resulting in electricity outages in areas connected to it Picture: ZINTLE BOBELO Not cool at the pool for Top Town folks ZINTLE BOBELO The dilapidated public swimming pools in Top Town remain a grave concern for residents. The facility, which is now packed with rubble and waste and has broken windows, was closed down 10 years ago. Border Kei Chamber of Business administrator Adré Bartis said before the amalgamation of Tsolwana, Inkwanca and Lukhanji municipalities to form Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) there were regular meetings with the then Lukhanji Municipality at which residents would engage with the mayor through a forum consisting of various stakeholders. “The issue was raised and at the time, the municipality said they did not have funds, but they would get an engineer to assess the pool. We also raised the issue of the Sandringham sports field that is being neglected. It is actually a valuable asset that could bring money into the municipality.” Bartis said the discussions, unfortunately, were discontinued after the amalgamation. “The Sandringham sports field issue was never brought to council. It was always sidelined, so I think it is a very good idea to try and get to the bottom of it now and either push the municipality to sell the sports ground, as well as the pools, or the municipality goes into partnership so they can fix it and give it back to the community.” She added that Southbourne Primary School tried to lease the sports ground from the municipality in 2015 and are currently leasing a house opposite the school which they have renovated and transformed into classrooms. “The municipality has not come to the party. The last mayor who promised to look into it was Lindiwe Gunuza, but nothing has been done. It is not a matter of taking the grounds from he municipality, they will get an improved asset, as well as regular rent from the school.” EMLM spokesperson Gcobani Msindwana said they had, on several occasions, indicated that the swimming pools were municipal property and had succumbed to damages which needed special expertise. “It is expensive to repair. We are currently sourcing funding from other departments and st a ke h o l d e r s , ” he said. 119262L/B A little moment of from only Available at participating restaurants for a limited time. While stocks last. Cappy® Juice is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola® Company © 2019. Tableware not included. T&C apply.
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