TOTT 13 May 2021

4 Advertising & Newsdesk: (046) 624-4356 Find us on Facebook 13 May 2021 TALK OF THE TOW N
Call for clarity on water issues
Sunshine Coast Tourism discuss effects on businesses, especially town’s accommodation providers
ROB KNOWLES
Sunshine Coast Tourism
held a meeting on Tuesday
May 4 on the many issues
affecting tourism and businesses
in the area.
A major issue on the table
was the ongoing water crisis and
how this is affecting Port Alfred.
According to the minutes of
the meeting, the “n e g a t ive
publicity on social media and in
the local media is a concern for
the tourism board as it affects
the reputation of Ndlambe as a
tourism destination”.
The board raised several
issues relating to the water crisis:
● The completion date for the
2Ml/day seawater reverse
osmosis (SWRO) plant is
unclear and business owners
need hard dates to plan in terms
of budgeting for additional
water or limiting business
operations till water is restored.
Accommodation providers are
especially hard hit.
● There is a concern that
purchasing additional water in
the hospitality sector is
becoming unsustainable.
The hospitality sector is
unable to offer a reasonable
service to clients in that they are
unsure when water, as a basic
service, will become available.
● The issue of whether the
proposed 3Ml/day wastewater
RO plant will have sufficient
water to supply the town is
being questioned.
The board said a three-point
approach was needed.
This included a meeting to
be convened between the
municipal manager, director of
infrastructure, Port Alfred
Residents and Ratepayers
Association, QFS and
contractors to obtain clear
answers to these questions.
Also, the outcome of that
meeting must be communicated
to members and to the public.
A letter is to be drafted from
Sunshine Coast Tourism to the
municipal manager requesting
an explanation on these issues.
The board discussed the
beautification of the town
which, they said, was
particularly difficult due to the
water crisis.
However, the board plans to
relaunch the “adopt a
p ave m e n t ” project and extend it
to donate a tree or adopt an
area. Discussions are being held
with businesses that are
potential sponsors of the
project.
Branding, including signage
were also brought up in the
meeting.
As for internet presence,
after a long delay because of IT
issues with suppliers, the system
is currently being uploaded with
current information.
There is also a plan to install
elegant “selfie frames” in
strategic locations to encourage
visitors to take pictures while
visiting Ndlambe.
Other issues raised at the
meeting included the state of the
sewerage system, where a clear
timeline and a plan for repairs is
required.
On the topic of the beaches,
the SCT minutes stated: “Good
improvements in atmosphere on
beaches after engagement with
the SAPS, and members would
like this to continue.”
The continued bad state of
the small boat harbour was also
discussed at the meeting, where
it was decided that engagement
with the municipality was
required to find structural
solutions.
The board was cautiously
optimistic about the month of
May with weekend boating
activities thriving and hotels and
restaurants reporting improved
demand.
According to the report,
Bathurst trade is still vibrant and
the recent Wellness Weekend
was a huge success and will be
repeated in the future.
Also, the report said the
recent Wine festival in Kenton,
one of 20 venues organised by
the company who organise the
Graaff-Reinet festival, was a hit.
Upcoming events on the
SCT calendar include the
university and schools’ boat
races in September and
December, and the possibility of
the Amanzi Challenge taking
place in October. Other events
include the Stance4Charity
event in June and the Ndlambe
Marathon in July.
The meeting was attended by
Rick Pryce, Wouter Hensens,
Mike Hosty, Jo Wilmot, Robin
Hyde and SCT manager Sandy
Birch. Tendering apologies were
Mike Wilmot, Bugs Wilmot,
Lesley Theunissen and Marius
Claassen.
Challenges and gratitude at
Soup Kitchen AGM
NO RESPECT
The Port Alfred Soup
Kitchen held their
AGM on April 21.
Being unable to
hold an AGM last year
due to the lockdown,
the Soup Kitchen was
pleased to be able to
update the public on
their current o p e ra t i o n s
Craig Ellis became
ch a i r p e r s o n in May of
2020 after Helmut
Hartleb stepped down
after 10 years of service
to the board.
Hartleb will remain
a committee member.
In his speech, Ellis
thanked the various
committee members
and staff.
He welcomed Julie
Baker as operations
supervisor, who has
taken over from Hector
MacDonald, who left
due to illness but will
still remain a volunteer
from time to time.
Ellis also thanked
all the individuals and
organisations who had
come to the aid of the
Soup Kitchen, from
attending to freezers
that had packed in to
fixing broken cooking
pots.
Appreciation was
also extended to
Stenden’s Universities
For World Hunger
project in the
Netherlands for the
funds much-needed
funds raised through
the students’ i n i t i a t ive s .
Klaas Wybo van der
Hoek, a member of the
Stenden University
board in the
GARY TIMM
10/05/2021
Gary Timm sadly
passed away 10/05/21.
He is survived by
Yvonne Timm,
Greg Timm, Grant
Shephard and Marbie
Shephard, Garron
Shephard and Charne
Shephard. He will be
sorely missed by all.
Netherlands for the
past 20 years, resigned
with a fundraising
event in support of the
Soup Kitchen, and
raised a significant
amount of money.
Another
unexpected source of
help was SERR
Synergy, which
sponsor BEE-compliant
non-profit
organisations, which
gave a further
substantial amount to
the Soup Kitchen.
Woolworths, SPAR,
Pick n Pay and Fresh
Stop were all given a
word of thanks for their
ongoing support and
donations which offer
desperate people that
bit extra.
The Port Alfred
Round Table were also
thanks for supplying
vouchers for meat and
ve g e t a b l e s .
All local farmers
were also given sincere
thanks for their
amazing quantities of
veggies that keep the
soup pots boiling.
Ellis thanked the
many individuals and
organisations that have
contributed, both
locally and from
overseas, as well as the
volunteer women’s
Christmas group who
always ensure the
children are catered for
with gifts over the
holiday season.
Ellis finally
acknowledged the
volunteers and drivers
who give of their time
and without whom the
Soup Kitchen would
not be able to operate
in the way it does. The
unaudited financials
were given by the
treasurer and the office
bearers names read
out.
Several new office
bearers were
welcomed – Ju dy
Mgudwa, Morena
Khashane, Tali
Alexandre, Luba
Sabelo, and Julie Baker.
The floor was then
opened for comments,
suggestions or
questions.
One of the
attendees gave
feedback of being
impressed by the Soup
K i t ch e n ’s operations
and congratulated its
members on their
g ove r n a n c e .
Soup Kitchen
founder Debra Harris
mentioned that funds
had dropped due to
Covid-19 and having
no assistance from
Lotto.
She agreed that the
Soup Kitchen needed
mentoring as they were
continually looking for
funding.
Neville Oosthuizen
17 May 2020
Ever since you went away
the days go slowly by,
And the hardest thing to cope with
Is never knowing why...
That we don’t understand
And maybe never will, Questions left unanswered,
Now your voice is still.
To lose you was unbearable
And time and time again, I’ve tried to look for reasons,
That no one can explain.
Life and death hold mysteries
But one thing is for sure,
We loved you then, we love you now
And will forevermore......
Till we meet again: Lyn, Belinda, Beverley and Pete.
Small Boat Harbour - 085 3000 255
OPEN TUESDAYS TO SUNDAYS
KITCHEN CLOSES AT 9PM
New daily specials FROM NEXT WEEK
WE HAVE SOMETHING YUMMY
FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY -
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HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY
AWFUL MESS: A resident visiting the West
Bank cemetery to lay flowers at her mother’s
plaque at the Garden of Remembrance
recently was disappointed to see the amount
of litter scattered around. This was after
encouraging signs that the grass and bush had
been cut. ‘I was horrified to see how
disgusting the area was. There is obviously no
supervision to see that the job of cleaning up
the area was done properly and completed,’
she said. The municipality has not responded
to TotT’s queries