Die Kwêvoël, Thabazimbi

In a press release to promote National Water Week from 2 – 8 March the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Lindiwe Hendricks, is calling on all South Africans to join efforts to conserve and protect the country’s water resources. South Africa is a water scarce country and the public is urged to make water conservation a part of their daily lives.
The theme for Water Week is “Water is Life: Securing the Nations Need’s Across Generations”.
In Thabazimbi no events were organized to celebrate Water Week and promote awareness, but a village outside of Lephalale was visited on Wednesday 4 March by representatives of the provincial Dept of Water Affairs and Forestry.
According to Lucia Sifaro from that department, this year they focused more on the issue of cholera and how to avoid getting infected when utilizing unsafe water. Demonstrations were given on the use of bleach as a disinfectant. They also focused on health hygiene.
According to the Dept of Water Affairs, it aimed through Water Week to raise  awareness around the need to protect and conserve the country’s water resources, to highlight the contribution that water makes to social and economic development and to highlight the role water plays in sustaining all forms of life in South Africa. It also hoped to shed light on how water resource management, water quality management, water conservation and water demand management are linked.
The department is mindful of the enormous challenges facing the water sector and in particular the challenge of securing water for growth and development and for future generations, the statement continues.
Minister Lindiwe Hendricks is therefore pleased to announce the launch of the Water for Growth and Development Strategy Framework that will set in motion a course of action to ensure that there is sufficient water to support South Africa’s growth and development initiative.
The strategy aims to ensure that there is sufficient water for the country to achieve its 6% economic growth target. At the same time, every person in South Africa must have access to potable water.
Details of this plan will be made available during Water Week 2 – 8 March 2009.
In addition Water Week takes place at a time when the department is preparing to represent South Africa at the 5th World Water Forum scheduled from 16 – 22 March 2009 in Turkey. It is also bidding to host the 2012 World Water Forum and currently is shortlisted in the top two.

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kepper/31753036/

THABAZIMBI – With a cornerstone ceremony on Wednesday 4th March 2009, the Board of Trustees of the Kumba Super Trust kicked off the construction works for an extension building at the Thabang Children’s Place of Safety.
The Super Trust has granted the Thabang Children’s Project a total of R 1.5 million for two extension buildings and 20 Child Care Packages for 2009.
The Trustees took the opportunity to learn more about Thabang’s work as manifested in its three centres: the two Places of Safety for girls and for boys and the Community Care Centre in Smash Block.
“We do appreciate the good service the Thabang Project renders to the Thabazimbi community”, said Connie Molusi, chairman of the Board. Therefore the Super Trust was glad to be partner to this project that caters for children and their caregivers that are affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS.
In the name of the children Thabang’s managers Tessa and Cecil White thanked the Trustees for their generous support. “It helps us to do our work for the children and to make sure that our project is sustainable.”

Hennie Pauw

THABAZIMBI – Anglo Platinum, die wêreld se grootste platinumversakffer beplan om sowat 10 000 werknemers se dienste op te skort in ‘n popging om kostes te sny. Die inkorting van kostes raak ook Thabazimbi-dorp. Waar ‘n bedrag van R14m deur Angloplat verskaf sou word vir die verbetering van die rioolstelsel in Thabazimbi, is hierdie fondse onttrek en sal dit van elders verkry moet word.
Sowat 8 000 van hierdie landwye afdankings is kontrakwerkers. Die orige 2 000 poste sal deur die normale prosesse van werkverliese nie weer gevul word nie, veral nie die non-kritiese poste nie.
In sy oorsig oor die maatskappy se resultate vir die jaar geëindig in Desember 2008  , sê Angloplat CEO Neville Nicolau, dat die maatskappy verlede jaar se produksievlakke wil handhaaf, wat sou beteken dat  ongeveer 2,4 miljoen onse platinum geproduseer sal word. Om egter winsgewend te bly sal die maatskappy sy bedryfskostes noemenswaardig moet verlaag, wat beteken dat die werkmag verklein moet word.
Volgens Nicolau kan Angloplat, teen die huidige platinumpryse, geld verloor op elke ons platinum wat geproduseer word, wat sou  beteken dat koste gesny moet word as die groep winsgewend wil bly. As gevolg van die verhoogde insetkoste sou dit hulle R1 000 meer per ons platinum kos om te produseer as die markwaarde van R14 000 per ons.
Volgens Nicolau hoop hulle dat die prys vanjaar bokant $1 000 per ons sal verhandel teenoor die $800 per ons van einde laasjaar en dat die markaanvraag teen die einde van vanjaar sal verbeter.
Dit is te wagte dat die aanvraag na platinum deur die voertuigindustrie sal verlaag, industriële aanvraag het reeds effens gesak saam met die verstadiging van die wêreldekonomie, maar aan die anderkant het die vraag na juweliersware en platinumaankope vir beleggingsdoeleindes verhoog.
Nicolau het gesê dat daar vanjaar nie ‘n toename in produksie sal wees nie en dat groot bestuursveranderings, wat die herstrukturering van die groep se belangrikste myne insluit, sal plaasvind. Die groot myne sal in kleiner individuele bedryfseenhede opgedeel word om doeltreffendheid en winsgewendheid te verhoog.
Voortspruitend uit hierdie besluit sal die Amandelbult-seksie in twee eenhede opgedeel word.

THABAZIMBI – Practitioner of languages and well-known translator at the Thabazimbi Magistrate and Regional Court, Peter Phasumane, passed away on 24 February and was buried on Sunday 1 March.
The 51 year old Peter, also nicknamed Andy by his friends, family and colleagues, could speak 11 different languages, and served as an employee of the Department of Justice in Thabazimbi for 30 years. He could speak Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu, Portuguese, Afrikaans, English, Northern and Southern Sotho, Shangaan and Shona.
Peter, a diabetic, fell sick in August last year and never returned to his job at the court house. In October he suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. He lost his ability to speak and was hospitalized until his death in February.
Peter was born in Holfontein in the Rustenburg district and received primary and secondary school training there. Once finished with high school he attended the Phapama Commercial School, where he was trained as a typist and started his career at the Department of Justice in Thabazimbi on 15 February 1979. Through self study he developed his knack for languages and became language practitioner at the court.
Peter leaves his wife of 27 years, Dorah, and three children, George, Theodora and Natasha, as well as one grandchild, Veronica. He also leaves three brothers, one from Thabazimbi and 2 from Pretoria and one sister (from Rustenburg).
According to an emotional Dorah “my husband will always be in our hearts and we will try to walk in his foot steps. He used to tell us before he became very sick, to love each other and to be strong for him – and we did. He was our everything,” she says.
Peter was buried from the Lutheran Church on Sunday 1 March.

THABAZIMBI – Die eerste plaaslike Fear Factor kompetisie word op Saterdag 14 Maart by die Landbou skouterrein aangebied.
Die kompetisie wat deur Lan-Liza Promosies aangebied word, begin reeds om 08:00 en beloof om ‘n dag propvol pret en waaghals te wees. Daar is ‘n R2000 kontantprys vir die wenspan op die spel. Die reëls vir die kompetisie is as volg: Spanne moet uit twee deelnemers bestaan. Skoolleerlinge betaal R60 per deelnemer terwyl volwassenes R100 per deelnemer uithaal. Daar is slegs plek vir 200 spanne.
Die deelnemers moet tekkies dra en geklee wees in ou klere weens die verskeie aktiwiteite waaraan hul gaan deel hê.
Die toegang is gratis vir die publiek en die organiseerders nooi hul om kampstoele saam te bring wanneer hul die spanne kom aanmoedig.
Volgens die organiseerders is daar reeds heelwat besighede in die dorp wat spanne ingeskryf het en al die ander besighede word uitgedaag om hul voorbeeld te volg.
Vir die honger en dors is daar voorsiening gemaak met eet- en drinkgoed wat die dag te koop aangebied word.
Die organiseerders beoog om maandeliks vermaak in Thabazimbi aan te bied en is oop vir enige voorstelle.
Kaartjies is slegs beskikbaar by die organiseerders, kontak hul by 084 548 8098 of 083 394 8118.

THABAZIMBI – In what seems to be a very confusing situation, another rates policy document was made available to the public for public comment. This document was distributed by the council at the IDP (Integrated Development Plan) meetings which were held in the district during January and February.
One or two previous documents were also made available to the public, but was never approved by the council, which makes the implementation of new rates unprocedural. For this reason the new rates have not been levied by the municipality yet, and new payers such as the farmers have not paid any property tax.
According to the national regulation all farmers were supposed to start paying taxes in the 2008/9 financial year which started on 1 July last year. Thabazimbi is the last remaining municipality which has not started implementing rates based on the market value of properties in all of the Waterberg Municipality.
The new draft rates policy is open for public comments until the end of April and all comments must be submitted in written form and must state which organization’s view point is represented.
The most important recommendation in the tax policy is the acknowledgement that “major shocks to ratepayers when moving from a site rating system to a market value system” should be prevented and that the “ability of the ratepayers to pay for their total municipal services” must be taken into consideration.
It also states that “the Municipality will endeavour to limit the annual increase in revenue from the property rates to the increase in the consumer price index (CPI)… except when the IDP (Integrated Development Plan) … provides for a greater increase”. It must be hoped that this provision does not leave a backdoor wide open.
Rebates will be instituted in cases where the hike in property tax is high due to the change of system (from site rating to total value of property). Any increase above 40% will be phased in over four years commencing July 2008. The annual increases are additional to this.
A range of rebates are applicable to agricultural land. Farmers, however, do not automatically quality for the rebates, but must apply for them. According to the draft rates policy, applications had to be submitted before 30 September 2008, a virtual impossibility since the draft document was only made available in February this year and has not been approved yet.
Where the following services are not provided by the municipality, farmers can qualify for rebates: road maintenance (10%), sewerage (10%), electricity (10%), water (20%) and refuse collection (10%). Farmers who provide housing for employees can get another 10% rebate, farmers who are registered ratepayers with SARS 5%, farmers registered for VAT with SARS 5% and farmers who have registered farm workers with the UIF 5%. To quality for the last 3 rebates proof must be supplied.
Agricultural land used for game farming, game hunting or eco-tourism will also qualify for the abovementioned reductions after the portion with the improvements thereon (such as slaughter facilities, cold storage areas, lapas, lodges and other forms of accommodation) has been deducted. The portion deducted will be fully rated.
Properties exempted from paying taxes include those belonging to health facilities, amateur sport facilities, schools, indigents (the poor), cultural facilities, residential properties below R30 000, public service facilities, registered welfare institutions, cemeteries and crematoriums.
According to the document the owner of land is the principal ratepayer, but where the owner fails to pay the property tax may be recovered from the tenant,  occupier or agent of  the property.
A valuation roll for all rateable properties will be prepared every four years, and supplementary valuations will be undertaken on an ongoing basis and amendments will be made once  a year.
The document is not clear on the issue of whether only a single rate will apply to all categories (such as residential, business, industrial, mine and agricultural properties) or whether different rates will be implemented.
The rate itself has not been approved yet.
The property tax tariff is one issue which does not form part of the rates policy document. An indication of what this figure might be, will be in the proposed municipal budget, which will be open for public comment during April and May this year. The budget must be approved by the end of May.
Last year a tariff of R0,0085/R was decided on, but it was never implemented and ratepayers have been granted leave to pay the “old” rate as was levied during the first part of 2008. Since then a much lower rate of R0,00175 was negotiated for by the Chairman’s Forum and Thabazimbi Ratepayers’ Association.
Copies of the rates policy document are available at the Thabazimbi, Regorogile, Northam, Leeupoort and Rooiberg municipal offices, as well as at community service centres and at the Municipality’s website. For any further enquiries Johannes Matlou at the municipal offices can be contacted on 014 777 1525 X 137.

PRETORIA – Die Rhino Stoeiklub van Thabazimbi het op Saterdag 28 Februarie 2009 die Tuks Challenge te Pretoria gestoei.
Die stoeiers het almal beïndruk met hulle krag en tegniek en uit 8 inskrywings het die klub ses medaljes huis toe gebring.
Volgens die organiseer, Lisa Smit, lê daar groot dinge vir die klub in 2009 voor.
Vir verdere inligting, kontak Lisa by 082 729 8951.

Tobie Lombard        1949@lantic.net

Die 2m x 1.3m x 500mm brood is uiteindelik klaar. Sover vasgestel kan word is dit die grootste in die suidelike halfrond. Agter in die middel staan Neels en Heleen Brits, by wie die idee van die brood ontstaan het, regs is Mike en Cielie Korff van Ellisras wie hand bygesit het, ds Dirk Lauffs, omroeper, Jessie Lange, omroeper en Kobus Swanepoel, direkteur en omroeper. Regs in die groen hemde is almal personeellede van Thaba Stereo.

Die potjiekos kompetisie wat verlede Saterdag deur Thaba Stereo 104.9 FM aangebied is op die dorp se skougronde was vanuit alle oogpunte ‘n reuse sukses. Die ou potbroodjie van 2m x 1,3m x 500mm was ‘n baie dapper dog heel geslaagde poging. Die spanning het soos ‘n elektriese stroom onder toeskouers geloop toe die vragmotor wat die pot na die binneruim vervoer het, die pot in sy plek posisioneer het.
Asems is opgetrek want sou die brood nie platgeval het nie? Sou die massiewe brood ooit gaar wees? Niemand het geweet of wou ‘n voorspelling waag nie. Neels Brits en sy span was egter nie in die minste bekommerd nie. “Ons is ou hande…” is al wat hy gesê het toe hy die pot se kant-plate laat sak het.
Daar lê hy toe. Pragtig goudbruin kors en dit lyk amper soos ‘n snoesige dubbelbed waarop jy kan slaap. Toe Victor van Wyk, stasiebestuurder, die eerste sny “afsaag” met ‘n spesiale mes wat Dries van Alma gemaak het was almal dit eens. Die brood is ‘n reuse sukses, deurgaar en ‘n kraak-kors.
Die potjiekos beoordelaars, Estie Taljaard van Die Kwêvoël, Marie Steenekamp (omroeper) en Tobie  Lombard (Tobie Tob Nie) het kop gekrap.
Die wenspan, Thabazimbi Boogskietklub, het werklik alle moeite gedoen en uitgehaal en gewys soos lanklaas gesien is. “Hierdie trofee wil ons wen want dit sal jaarliks ons s’n wees!” het hulle gespog. Hulle het met ‘n baie kortkop die span van JJ van Koppie Alleen Gastehuis in Northam geklop. Veral die aanwending van vars kruie uit die manne se eie tuin en self gekweekte groente het beïndruk. Die swartbaars wat hulle vir voorgereg bedien het kon die skaal in hulle guns laat swaai het.
JJ en John van Koppie Alleen Gastehuis het egter self met ‘n spogpoging vorendag gekom wat lanklaas gesien is en bitter moeilik in die toekoms geklop gaan word. Veral die kunstige uitstal van pragtige geel sonneblomme het hulle stalletetjie opgehelder. Hulle aanbieding was professioneel is in ‘n hoë graad en het oud en jonk beïndruk.
Gert Snyman se Thabazimbi Motors se span het die onregverdige hulp van Frik Botha gehad. Frik is ‘n ou hand met die bedryf en hy was deel van die span wat in 2003 die Rooibokkraal Bonanza loshande gewen het.
Die ou motors wat uitgestal is het groot belangstelling gelok en so ook die ander uitstallers het waardering uitgespreek. Die dag se gebeure is afgesluit met ‘n bokjol soos min toe Thaba se eie orkes, Sekelbos, laat waai het.
Die dag is gereël om Thaba Stereo te help met die opgradering van die bestaande 500 Watt sender na ‘n volle 2 kilowatt.

Hierdie rig ek spesifiek aan die twee jong manne?, dalk liewer seuns, in ‘n wit karretjie, wat verlede Donderdagmiddag om 16:50 soos besetenes in 8ste Laan afgejaag het en, volgens ‘n ooggetuie, doelbewus op ons grys kat afgepeil het en haar doodgery het.
Julle het gedink dis ‘n groot grap en vreeslik gelag daaroor, maar soos lafaards nie eens gestop om te kyk of sy nog lewe nie net weggejaag voordat iemand julle sien – wel iemand het!
Daardie kat was my dogter se oogappel en geliefde troeteldier, nie dat dit julle enigsins geraak het nie. Julle het haar met so ‘n geweldige spoed getref dat ons die slag in die huis gehoor het. Wat sou jy gedoen het as ‘n kind uit die hek oor die pad agter haar aan gehardloop het?  Seker ook maar weggejaag het soos lafaards doen.
Jy hou dalk nie van katte nie, maar ons in 8ste laan is moeg vir  jong idiote wat ons straat as ‘n renbaan gebruik. Ons dorp is besig om in die afgrond te gaan en dit danksy gomgatte soos julle wat dink alles is ‘n grap – selfs die lewe van ‘n onskuldige kat. Ek hoop jy of jou ouers lees hierdie  want geen mens kan trots op iemand soos jy wees nie, jy respekteer niks en niemand nie.
Hoe lank gaan dit nog aangaan, dat verkeersowerhede besig gehou word met bestuurslisensies wat oor en oor en oor getoets word, maar intussen het dit groot mode onder die jong seuns van Thabazimbi geword om in die dwars strate op en af te jaag.  (Wonder hoe hierdie seuns bestuurderslisensies gekry het?)  Gaan daar gewag word totdat ‘n kind doodgery word, voordat daar teen hierdie jaagduiwels (want hulle is duiwels) opgetree gaan word?

Ek wonder maar net.

THABAZIMBI – Dit is nie ons almal beskore om onder 3 minute / km te hardloop nie, of om ’n groen nommer in die Comrades te behaal nie, maar meeste van ons kan ‘n 5km ‘Fun-Run’ voltooi. Al wat jy nodig het is die begeerte, ’n oefenprogram en ’n doelwit wedloop.
Op Saterdag, 28 Maart 2009, bied Thabazimbi Marathon Klub, tesame met Kumba Iron Ore, die eerste amptelike Marakele National Park Marathon aan. Op hierdie dag sal daar 3 wedlope plaasvind. Die vol marathon, 42,2km, ‘n 20km-wedloop, en ‘n ‘Fun-Run’ van 5km.
Vir vooraf inskrywings, kontak vir Piet van Staden, 073 002 0873, of kom skryf op die oggend in vanaf 5 uur. Wedlope begin om 6 uur. Wegspring en inskrywings vind plaas by die hoofingang na die Marakele Nasionale Park.
Baie atlete van heinde en verre het reeds ingeskryf om hierdie dag hulself te kom geniet in die asemrowende natuur van die Marakele Nasionale Park.
As jy graag jou eerste 5 km wedloop wil aandurf, hier volg ’n veilige program: