Tshwane UPDATE | Page 1 |

IGNITING EXCELLENCE SPRING EDITION

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Ga-Rankuwa Incubator to build SMMEs in automotive industry

3

Tshwane 2055’s vision for its future residents

7

Tshwane honours its Olympic champions

12

Street restrictions and pedes-trianisation in the inner city 4

The City of Tshwane would like to congratulate and welcome the new members of the Mayoral

Committee who were introduced to the Council by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa.

In an effort to optimise service delivery, Cllr Ramokgo-pa replaced four members of the Mayoral Committee.

The new Mayoral Committee is now structured as follows:

• CllrPetuniaMashaba:Agricultureand Environmental Management

• CllrEulendaMabusela:HealthandSocial Development

• CllrJacobMasango:Infrastructure

• CllrNoziphoMakeke:Sport,Recreation,Artsand Culture

• CllrTerenceMashego:SafetyandSecurity

• CllrThokoMmoko:CorporateandShared Services

• CllrSubeshPillay:EconomicDevelopmentandPlanning

• CllrJoshuaNgonyama:HousingandHumanSettlement

• CllrGeorgeMatjila:TransportandRoads

• CllrDorothyMabiletsa:Finance

In the acceptance address of the current leadership last year, Cllr Ramokgopa outlined seven pillars that anchortheCity’sservicedeliveryagenda.

These are the following:

• To amplify the provision of municipal servicesand infrastructure

• Toaccelerateeconomicgrowth,jobcreationandsocial development

• To build sustainable communities with clean,healthy and safe environments as well as integrated social services

• To strengthen participatory democracy and theBatho Pele principles

• Topromotesoundgovernance

• Toensurefinancialsustainability

• To intensify organisational development andtransformation

The City contemplated these pillars in an endea-vour to maximise its strengths and minimise its weaknesses, so as to make it possible for the City to deliver better and quality services to the residents of Tshwane.

Executive Mayor appoints new Members of Mayoral CommitteePhalane Motale

From left to right: Cllr Eulenda Mabusela, Cllr Nozipho Makeke, Cllr Jacob Masango and Cllr Petunia Mashaba

| Page 2 | Tshwane UPDATE

The City of Tshwane recently adopted a revised Credit Control and Debt Collec-tion Policy.

The most critical amendments that have an impact on residents and business are listed below.

• Anaccountwillonlybeopenedin the name of the owner:

Existing tenant accounts will be phased out upon the closure of the rental and municipal service agreements con-cerned. This excludes service agree-ments on municipal properties.

• Terminationorrestrictionof services:

Credit control actions are carried

out on accounts that are 30 days in arrears. The process begins with a 14-day final demand notice. If payment or an arrangement is not made, services will be restricted or terminated.

• Arrangementtopayoff outstanding debt or reconnecting services after credit control mea-sures:

An upfront deposit will be requested and the amount paid will determine the pe-riodofrepayment.ItistheChiefFinan-cial Officer’s prerogative to decide onthe parameters of an arrangement with customers.

• AffordabilityAssessment Committee:

A committee will be established to make affordable arrangement plans for con-sumers who have defaulted and are un-able to pay current accounts.

• An owner can terminate a tenant’smunicipalservicesbygiving instruction to the Municipality:

Owners must use the prescribed format and bear all costs, including legal costs, should such termination or restriction result in legal action. The owner of a property may also have access to the municipal account of his tenant.

• If the owner of a property is in arrears with rates and taxes or other municipal charges, the Municipality may terminate or restrict municipal

services to the property even if the account of the tenant residing on that property is up to date:

The right to municipal services of a consumer who is not the owner of a property is always subject to the right of the owner.

The approved Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy is available on the City of Tshwane’s website: www.tshwane.gov.za.Itisalsoavailableforperusalatall regional customer care walk-in cen-tres. For more information or advice,visit the regional customer care walk-in centre closest to you.

What you should know about the revised Credit Control PolicyStaff Reporter

Non-payment of municipal services impacts negatively on the municipality’s ability to deliver

services to residents

Dikeledi PhiriCredit control kicks in when property owners get in arrears with accounts for municipal charges, tariffs and/or levies. An account is considered to be in ar-rears if the debt has not been paid after 30 days and longer. All accounts in ar-rearsareidentifiedthroughanautoma-ted process and handed over to a com-pany contracted by the City of Tshwane to collect outstanding debt on accounts.

Property owners are informed if they willsoonbesubjected tocreditcontrolmeasures.

(Account statements are also regar-ded as a reminder of the status of the account.)

The City of Tshwane proceeds as follows when services are to be disconnected:

• AfinaldemandletterorSMSinformsthe debtor of the need to settle his or her account within 14 days.

• Failure to pay ormake an arrange-ment with the City of Tshwane within 14 days results in the disconnection of the electricity supply to the pre-mises.

• As for debtors on prepayment me-ters, the Municipality restricts their ability to purchase electricity.

• If the debtor still does not respond,water supply to the premises is re-stricted.

Due to hygiene considerations, water supply to defaulting households will not be completely discontinued, but will only be restricted.

Services can only be reconnected once the arrear amount has been settled in full or the client has formally arranged with the Municipality to pay the arrears in terms of the Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy.

Residents who are in arrears can con-tact the City of Tshwane customer care

walk-in centres or the Credit Control Of-ficetomakeasettlementarrangement.

Interest will be charged every month on the amount still in arrears during the paying-off period and will be calculated atafixedrate.

When paying your account at a munici-paloffice,thepaymentwillreflectimme-diatelyonthesystem.However,ittakesthreedays for apayment to reflect onthe system if it is paid through third-par-tyvendorssuchasPick ’nPay,Shop-riteandthePostOffice.Thissometimesleads to disconnection of services after the account has been paid.

When this happens, visit your nearest City of Tshwane customer care walk-in centreortheCreditControlOfficewithyour proof of payment. Your services will be reconnected and you will not be charged a reconnection fee.

Customer care walk-in centres

Credit Control Office:BKS Building, 373 Pretorius Street, CBD

012 358 8155/2556

The approved Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy is accessible at www.tshwane.gov.za. It is also available forperusal at all regional customer care walk-in centres.

Regional Customer Care Walk-in CentresRegion 1

• Akasia Customer Care Centre, 16 Dale Avenue, Karenpark

• Beirut Customer Care Centre, Stand 1864, Beirut

• Bodibeng Customer Care Centre, 1424 Block BB, Soshanguve

• Mabopane Customer Care Centre, Stand 2033, Block A, Mabopane

• Ga-Rankuwa Customer Care Centre, Stand 9111, Setlogelo Street, Zone 5

• Mabopane Customer Care Centre, Stand 1653, Block X, Mabopane

• Rosslyn Customer Care Centre, cnr C van Niekerk and Doreen Streets, Rosslyn

• Soshanguve Customer Care Centre, Stand2275,BlockFWest,cnrCommissioner and Thantlhagane Streets, Soshanguve

• Soshanguve Customer Care Centre, Stand 920, Block X

Region 2

• Temba Customer Care Centre, Stand 4424, Unit 2, Temba/Kudube

• HammanskraalCustomerCareCen-tre,HammanskraalThusongServiceCentre, 532 Lovelane Street, Man-dela Village

• Sinoville Customer Care Centre, KuduBuilding,cnrMarijaandPafuriStreets, Sinoville

Region 3

• Fortsig Customer Care Centre, En-trance20,VanderHoffRoadExten-sion,

• Boekenhoutkloof

• HB Phillips Customer Care Centre,Ground Floor, HB Phillips Building,cnr Bosman and Francis BaardStreets

• Atteridgeville Customer Care Centre, OfficeBlockE,1-12,AtteridgevilleMunicipalOffice(Mini-Munitoria/Thu-song Centre), Komane Street (be-tween Mngadi and Radebe Streets)

• BKS Customer Care Centre, Coun-ters 1 and 7, BKS Building, 373

Pretorius Street, Pretoria

• Munitoria Customer Care Centre, GroundFloor,G14,Munitoria,cnrMadiba and Sisulu Streets, Pretoria

Region 4

• Centurion Customer Care Centre, cnr Clifton Avenue and Rabie Street, Lyttelton

• Laudium Customer Care Centre, Laudium Community Centre, cnr Tangerine Street and 6th Avenue, Laudium

• Olievenhoutbosch Customer Care Centre, Olievenhoutbosch Thusong Service Centre, Stand 1900, cnr Retlhabile and Legong Streets, Olievenhoutbosch, Extension 13

Region 5

• Rayton Customer Care Centre,Ground Floor, cnr Oakley and Montrose Streets, Rayton

Region 6

• Mamelodi Customer Care Centre,Mamelodi Mini-Munitoria/Thusong Centre, 189 Makhubela Street, Stand 4079, Mamelodi West

• NellmapiusCustomerCareCentre,200 Love Drive, Nellmapius

• Eersterust Customer Care Centre,cnrPSFourieDriveandHans

• CoverdaleRoad West, EersterustRecreation Centre

• Stanza Bopape Customer CareCentre 27401, Rammupudu street, Mamelodi East

Region 7

• Bronkhorstspruit Customer CareCentre, Muniforum 1 Building, Ground Floor, cnr Botha andKruger Streets, Bronkhorstspruit

The City of Tshwane recently adopted a revised Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy to streamline the collection of money owed for services rendered by the Municipality.

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 3 |

The City of Tshwane showed its commitment to economic development and particularly SMME

developmentbyofficiallylaunchingtheGa-RankuwaAutomotive Incubator in September.

The incubation project is carried out in collabora-tion with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the SEDA Automotive Technology Centre (SATEC).

The project is aimed at unlocking the potential ofSMMEs in the automotive industry so they can par-ticipate meaningfully in the industry and improve their competitiveness in Tshwane and the broader South African economy. The Executive Mayor, Councillor Kgosientso Ramokgopa, said it is important that the informal sector be empowered so that it can become part of mainstream business and create a pool of people who have new ideas to take the city forward.

The Ga-Rankuwa Incubator will provide access to modern automotive technology and equipment, trai-ning,marketsandfinance,andaccreditationwiththerelevant automotive institutions. It will provide three

years of physical incubation to ten SMMEs and virtual incubation to some other SMMEs.

The objectives of the Ga-Rankuwa Automotive Incubator are to -

• assist existing and potential automotive businesses that are involved in auto panel beating, body repairs, and auto mechanical and electrical work to improve their opera- tions;

• provide the relevant equipment, mentoringand coaching to SMMEs in the automotive industry; and

• ensureoverallbusiness incubationandmentor-ship of SMMEs in the automotive industry.

A factory at the Ga-Rankuwa Industrial Park was renovated and converted into an automotive incuba-tor and equipped with auto mechanical, panel beating, spray-painting and air con repair tools, and radiators.

Ten SMMEs will undergo physical incubation were recruited during a transparent process in which an advertisementwasplaced inTshwane’s local news-papers. Altogether 29 other SMMEs will have virtual access to the incubator.

SATEChasbeenidentifiedastheprojectimplement-ing agent and the incubator has been operational since August 2012.

The Ga-Rankuwa Automotive Incubator is anticipated to enable SMMEs in the automotive sector to run via-bleandprofitablebusinesses,accessbiggermarketsand render quality automotive services to clients in the after-market segment of the industry.

This initiative will also create job opportunities in Tshwane. Each beneficiary currently employs abouttwopeople,and26jobopportunitieshavebeencreat-edsofar.Morejobopportunitieswillbecreatedwhenthebeneficiariessetupindependentbusinessesafterthe incubation period.

Ga-Rankuwa Incubator to build SMMEs in automotive industry

In Memorium

The City of Tshwane requests all homeowner as-sociations, bodies corporate and administrators in Tshwane to contact the City Planning and Develop-ment Department to sort out physical addresses.

According to the Financial Intelligence CentreAct(FICA),alocalmunicipalityhastoprovidephysical

addresses for each unit in all sectional title schemes. To set up the required addresses, the City of Tshwane requests managing bodies to contact the Municipality urgently on:

Telephone: 012 358 5015/1852 Email:address@tshwane.gov.za

Physical addresses for sectional schemes

Antoinette Mostert

The Ga-Rankuwa Automotive Incubator provides a mixture of opportunities for people who are interested in acquiring skills and furthering their knowledge in the automotive field.

In what is generally accepted as a man’s world, it was surprising to see three ladies embarking on a new career in the automotive sector. Whether it is radiators or spray-painting, they wanted to hone their skills. Sibongile Mkhonza (middle) used to assist her husband with welding and enjoyed this very much. She was glad to be selected for the course and cannot wait for the auto electri-cian training that is coming up. Sarah Tabane and Francinah Mabuza have shown their flair when it comes to spray-painting and agree that the incu-bation project will help them prove that women can do spray-painting and be successful.

Interesting facts about Tshwane’s automotive

landscape:• TheheartoftheautomotiveindustryinGautengis

located in Tshwane.

• Thecityhostshalfofthelightvehiclemanufactu-rers located in the country (Volvo, Nissan, BMW andFord).ThisincludestheAutomotiveSupplierPark in Rosslyn.

• 40% of all passenger vehicles manufactured inSouth Africa are produced in Tshwane.

• The automotive and components industry in Tshwane has a turnover of about R30 billion in current prices. It generates about a quarter of the manufacturingsector’svalueaddandcontributesabout3,3%totheCity’seconomy.

• The industry is represented by more than 200companies which employ almost18 000 people.

• The highest concentration of automotive andcomponent manufacturers in the city and in the country is found in the Automotive Supplier Park (ASP) in Rosslyn, located in the north-western corner of Tshwane.

Cllr Hein F Redelinghuys (1936 to 2012)

Hein Redelinghuys was born in theBroederstroom area of Gauteng in 1936.

HeattendedtheUniversityofPretoria(Tukkies),andstudiedattheVrijeUniversiteitofAm-sterdam,whereheobtainedhisdoctorate.Hewasaprofessor in Audit Science.

Prof Redelinghuys was Rector of the University of Port Elizabethfrom1985to1994,whereafterhemovedtoPretoria.HebecameacouncillorfortheDemocraticAlliance in the Council of the City of Tshwane in 2000, andthespokespersonforfinanceformanyyears.

ProfHein (ashewasknownbyall)wasmarried toIna, and they have two children: Una, who lives in Pretoria, and Rado, who lives in North Carolina, USA. ProfHeinwasknownforhislovingnatureandloveforthe community.

Cllr Elizabeth Motsei Molefe (1960 to 2012)

ElizabethMotseiMolefewastheonlychild of the late Stephinah Matlhodi Molefe. She attended Molefe Mooke Primary and Dilopye Middle. She then proceeded to Ntswane High whereshepassedForm2,whichwasthehighest levelonthe curriculum.

She obtained a secretarial qualification from Cam-bridgeHouseCollegeandworkedasaswitchboardoperator for Troydene Hotel and Martilon TexturedYarns respectively. She served as an ANC branch treasurer from 2001 to 2006 and as a member of the governing body of all three schools of Dilopye village. She was elected as a ward councillor of Ward 8 in the 2011 local government election.

She was blessed with four children, two boys and two girls and one grandchild. She fought her battles on earth and now gets her crown of victory.

‘’Tselatshweusenatla,youhave laidthefoundationforwomenandyouwillremainshininginthisplace.’’

The Executive Mayor Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa and the City Manager Mr Jason Ngobeni inspect

the handiwork of the students.

| Page 4 | Tshwane UPDATE| Page 4 | Tshwane UPDATE

The area between Du Toit Street in the east, Thabo Sehume

Street (Andries Street) in the west, Pretorius Street in the south, and Madiba Street (Vermeulen Street) in the north will be redesigned. This will ensure safer and more comfor-table pedestrian movement and will alsolimittrafficmovement.

The City plans to replace paving, install urban furniture and improve safety.Therewillbezero toleranceof illegal activities, such as illegal taxi ranks, illegal informal trading, the selling of counterfeit goods, ille-gal advertising and neglected build-ings. Businesses in the inner city will be encouraged to extend their tra-ding hours.

The sidewalks in Lilian Ngoyi (Van der Walt) Street and Sisulu (Prinsloo) Street between Pretorius and Madiba (Vermeulen)Streets aswell asHelenJoseph (Church) Street between DuToit and Sisulu (Prinsloo) Streets will be extended and beautified. This willreduce street parking in these areas.

Access control will be enforced in Lil-ian Ngoyi Street and Sisulu Street be-tween Pretorius and Madiba Streets. Thiswillrestrictthroughtrafficandcre-ate a safer pedestrian precinct. Only the follo-wing vehicle categories will have access:

• People with allocated private orbusiness off-street parking within

theprojectarea

• Delivery vehicles (only for shopsand businesses within the demar-cated areas)

• Business owners and employees(off-street parking)

• Officialvehiclesonofficialduty

• Theclientsofbusinesses(limitedto the available parking)

No informal trading will be allowed in these areas. Registered traders will be allowed only in the officially allocatedareasinHelenJoseph(Church)Street.

Minibus taxi and metered taxi ranks in this area will be relocated. The routes of the Gautrain bus service as well as those of private and municipal buses will be changed. Bus pick-up points

will be amended accordingly and communicated in good time.

Cllr Subesh Pillay, Member of the May-oral Committee for Economic Develop-ment and City Planning, says the inner city is alive with shoppers on a daily basis.For this reason, theCitywantsto boost their shopping experience by making the area more user-friendly for pedestrians.Cllr Pillay said that the pe-destrianisation and traffic restrictionswill not only improve mobility, but will also give the inner city a face-lift that will attract new business.

He further said that the inner city isjam-packed with through-traffic thatcongests the streets unnecessarily. “Only traffic that needs to be in the inner city will be allowed. “Through -traffic”willbediscouragedandchan-

nelled to other streets. Mo-torists will be encouraged to use the highway. Motorists will get used to the restric-tions and establish new traf-ficpatterns,”hesaid.

The City wants to create a better environment for shop-pers. By enlarging the pave-ment areas it is hoped that investors will investigate the idea of more outdoor restau-rants and eateries. The City of Tshwane’s City PlanningDivision will favourably con-sider such applications.

Cllr Pillay allayed worries that minibus taxis will clog up other streetsandcausetrafficjams.Hesaidthe inner city has a dedicated Metro Po-liceunitthatmonitorstrafficandsafetyin the inner city on a daily basis. Traf-fic signallingwill be configured to ac-commodate the changes. It will favour pedestriansinthepedestrianzoneandstreet trafficwillbestreamlined in themotorisedzones.

Additional CCTV cameras will also as-sist the Metro Police in identifying prob-lemareasandensurethattrafficjamsare cleared.

The City of Tshwane urges residents and businesses to partner with the Mu-nicipality in its endeavours to ignite ex-cellence and create a liveable city that we can all be proud of.

Street restrictions and pedestrianisation in the inner cityThe City of Tshwane is planning to revamp the inner city core to make it

safe and comfortable for the publicAntoinette Mostert

Lebogang MatjiCity wages war against illegal advertising

The by-laws of the City of Tshwane prohibit illegal advertising on street

poles, and advertising of a product with-out the intention of selling it through the correct channels or at the advertised price.

To restore the aesthetic appeal of Tsh-wane, the Municipality has declared war on illegal advertising and has launched a vigorous operation to remove illegal outdoor advertisements across the sev-enmunicipalregions.On1July2012(aday they set aside for the enforcement of by-laws), Metro Police officers re-moved 540 illegal advertisements, one banner and some pamphlets in only four roads in the Centurion area.

The operation is a joint effort by theMetro Police and the City Planning and Waste Management departments and addressestheCity’sstrategicobjectiveof ensuring sustainable communities, a clean, healthy and safe environment and integrated social services.

The Municipality will continue to remove illegal advertisements, particularly those thatspoilthecity’simageandcausetheenvironment to deteriorate. The aim is to prevent the uncontrolled increase of

advertisements on private and public property that could threaten road safety.

Poor law enforcement in the past made it easy for people to put up posters and stickers illegally. However, the Munici-pality will now clamp down on trans-gressors and hold them accountable.

Outdoor advertising in the city is regu-lated by the recently promulgated by-laws on the control of outdoor adver-tising. These by-laws set out the legal requirements with regard to application procedures, safety, amenity and decen-cy, the design and construction of signs, offences and penalties, as well as the types of signs and their display.

To report illegal advertising or to apply to advertise legally, contact Mr Mar-tin B van Niekerk of the City Planning Department: Development Compliance and Enforcement at 012 358 4570/8833 or send an email to martinvn@tshwane.gov.zaorelainepr@tshwane.gov.za.

Using the opportunity to remove every-

thingillegal,municipalofficialsrecentlyalso paid a surprise visit to Olievenhout-bosch to remove illegal cable connec-tions–amajor threat to theelectricityutility infrastructure.

To report illegal electricity connec-tions, contact Mr Onalenna V Mofela at 012 358 0442, Mr Norman Ndlovu at 012 358 9424 or Mr Willem A de Meyer at 012 358 3239, or report illegal con-nections at the City of Tshwane Cus-tomer Care centres or the Metro Police by-lawoffice.

To report by-law offences, contact the CityofTshwane’sBy-lawEnforcementCentre at 012 358 0070 or 0801 111 556 (toll-free), or send an email to: bylawenforcementcenter@tshwane.gov.zaorbec@tshwane.gov.za.

The Tshwane Metropolitan Police Headquarters is situated at the cornerof E’skia Mphahlele and WF NkomoStreets in Pretoria West.

Illegal advertising against traffic light pole

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 5 |

Feast of the Clowns 2012

Emmanuel Tshehla

Staff reporter

Thethemeofthisforthisyear’sfes-tivalwas“RedBloodGreenRoots”.

Red blood is a common thread among our people. When all other external fac-tors such as race, class, religion, gender etc are put aside, we are all essentially the same. The green roots are a sym-bol of our rootedness in the city. We are rooted differently in terms of our places of work, homes, and places of study and refuge. Regardless of all that, we all occupy this space and the city is cry-ing out about homelessness, HIV andAIDS, human trafficking, xenophobia,children’srightsandadeterioratingen-vironment, which are all concerns that the city and its residents are faced with.

TheFeastoftheClownsisaninnercitycommunity festival that was established in 2000, which has grown from being

a small street festival with only 300 participants to a six-day event hosting close to 10 000 participants and specta-tors. It was created to contribute to in-ner city regeneration, to celebrate the cultural and social diversity of the inner city, to create a space for local artists to express themselves, and for awareness toberaisedaboutissuesofjusticeandsocial concern.

TheFeastoftheClownsstreetparadeconsisted of more than 5 000 partici-pants in colourful clown costumes and eye-catching traditional attire. The pa-radestartedatJacobMaréStreet,theninto LilianNgoyiStreet, into JohannesRamokhoase Street, into Paul Kruger Street, into Minnaar Street and finallyproceded to Burgers Park for the main festival.

The thirteenth annual Feast of the Clowns took place on the 15 September 2012 at Burgers Park. The event was co-hosted by the Tshwane Leadership Foundation, the City of Tshwane

and other local role players.

Zero tolerance for illegal buildings The City of Tshwane receives many complaints about illegal building work each

day.When investigating these complaints, the BuildingControl Office oftenfindsthatstructureswerebuiltwithoutapprovedbuildingplans,andthatbuildingsareoccupiedwithoutanoccupationcertificate.

We appeal to residents not to build without approved plans. You can enquire at any municipalBuildingControlOfficeinTshwanetofindoutifthebuildingplansofyour

house or business have been approved.

If they are not, call in the help of an architect or civil engineer to assist you to legal-ise your buildings. If the structures are legal and all the necessary inspections have beendone,anoccupationcertificateforthepropertywillbeissued.

Formoreinformationcall0123588066.

City reaches historic agreement with informal tradersPhalane Motale

The City of Tshwane and four infor-maltraders’associationsinthecity

reached a historic milestone when they decided on a memorandum of agree-ment (MoA). The MoA will see the par-ties working together for the first timein growing and developing the informal sector and improving the quality of life of informal traders.

Tshwane’s ExecutiveMayor, Cllr Kgo-sientso Ramokgopa, represented the Municipality. The informal trader as-sociations were represented by Life Makondo (president of Tshwane Infor-mal Traders’ Forum), Philip Lethuba(presidentofTshwaneInformalTrader’sCouncil),VincentMatjeng(presidentofTshwaneNAFCOC)andStrikeSebake(president of Tshwane Micro Entrepre-neur’sLeague).

The parties agreed to take the draft agreement back to their members for scrutinyandfinalapproval.

The agreement means that the City and the associations will together deal with challenges that face the informal traders. These challenges include the lack of adequate amenities (sanita-tion and ablution facilities), insufficientdemarcated areas for trading, lack of

overnight storage facilities for the trad-ers and congestion at designated areas which creates incredible competition amongst the informal traders.

This agreement is in line with the City’s Growth and Development Stra-tegy 2055 vision which aimes to make Tshwane a liveable city which improves opportunities for emerging entrepre-neursandboostseffortstocreatejobs.

Cllr Ramokgopa encouraged the repre-sentatives to organise themselves into a cooperative and a fresh produce mar-ket agency. The City will in turn provide them with trading space, training and managerial support.Hesaid the infor-mal traders contributed R600 million towards the Tshwane Fresh ProduceMarket’s R2 billion annual turnover,makingthemsignificanteconomicplay-ers in the local economy.

The City stated that it would get them on boardvariousprojectssuchascleaningthe city and manufacturing and erecting informal traders’ stalls in the differentareas of the Municipality through coop-eratives. The associations would also beprovidedwithanofficeandcomput-ers.

He emphasised that they could alsocreate formal job opportunities by be-coming part of the value chain and get-ting directly involved in the packaging and storing of their merchandise.

The City has set aside R10 million for the design and manufacturing of the street stalls. It is envisaged that the in-formal traders will be directly involved in theproject.

Cllr Ramokgopa said by-law enforce-ment would go ahead as a measure in managing illegal traders.

“It is important that the informal traders help in self-regulating themselves in-stead of leaving the function of by-law implementation to the Metro Police.

“Self-regulation will help to avoid any conflict situations between the trad-ers and the Metro Police. In the firstinstance, there was never an intention by the Metro Police in the past to treat the informal traders harshly or penalise them,butrathertoaffirmthem,”hesaid.

“Our members are very easy to please. They are very happy to be part of the economic development of the city and itscleaningprojects,”saidSebake.

It was also agreed that through its Eco-nomic Development Department, the City would provide office space andtrading markets for the accommoda-tion of informal traders within the cen-tral business district (CBD). The Metro Police Chief will ensure that the by-laws are fully enforced and statistical reports are presented at the steering commit-tee meetings, and that the funding of theprojectsisdonewithintheavailablefunds in terms of the approved budget of the Council.

The City recognises the importance of working with the business sector to de-liver growth and further development. It remains committed to its mandate of delivering core services that ensure ac-celerated and shared economic growth and broad participation by all our citi-zens.

In prioritising the strategic national goals ofjobcreationandsustainablegrowth,the City continues to concentrate on the creation of growth-oriented SMMEs. Here, it acknowledges the importanceof informal trade in the SMME sector, as it ensures the survival of large numbers of people who do not draw an income from the formal employment sector.

Feast parade participants taking to the streets.

| Page 6 | Tshwane UPDATE

The City of Tshwane is in the process of developing a long-term de-velopment strategy that will affirm Tshwane’s position as South

Africa’s capital city.

The strategy development follows the establish-ment of “a new Tshwane” after the 2011 local

government elections and the incorporation of sev-eral new municipalities into the City. With a population of about 2,5 million people, Tshwane now covers an area of 6 368 km², making it the largest metropolitan municipality in South Africa and the third-largest in the world.

Thelong-termstrategywillframetheCity’sinterven-tions over the next four decades of game changing. It will also articulate a shared vision of what Tshwane should look like by 2055.

Thefinaldocumentwillprovideabroadframeworkforlong-term growth and enable the City to identify priori-ties and development partners and to make strategic choices that will have an impact on the city over the next four decades.

It will bring Tshwane in line with international best practices where successful global cities have to an-ticipate future challenges in terms of service delivery, population growth, pressures on the environment and resources as well as the need to prepare for rapid developments in technology.

DuringthelaunchoftheGDSattheendofJuly,theExecutive Mayor said that while managing the city to-day one must have clear strategies in place to meet the game-changing events expected over the next four decades.

“This is a unique opportunity for residents, stakehol-ders, civil society and academics to help shape the trajectoryofthefutureoftheircapitalcity.Thelaunchis a turning point in the ongoing process to transform thelivesoftheresidentsofTshwane,”hesaid.

“We are clearly positioning Tshwane as the capital of South Africa and the primary regional hub in southern Africa. We are focusing on the proven strengths of the cityasacentreforacademicandscientificresearchand innovation, one with the ability to attract a gro-wingshareofregionaltradeandinvestment,”saidtheExecutive Mayor.

During August, a series of consultative and outreach processes were held over seven weeks to contribute to the strategy formulation. This will culminate in a stakeholder summit in November, which will yield in-putsforaninternaldiscussionandfinallythesubmis-sionofareportfortheCouncil’sapproval.

The key thematic focus areas were –

• governance;

• healthpromotionandpoverty alleviation;

• sustainabledeve-lopmentandnatural resources;

• economicdevelopment;

• asmartcity;

• transport;and

• aliveablecity.

The outcomes of the seven-week outreach programme are as follows:

Governance

• Defineactivecitizenryfor Tshwane.

• Ensure Accountability, participa-tion, predictability and transpa-rency based on ethical principles.

• Professionalise the public sector.

• Leverage partnerships with stakeholders such as the Knowledge Economy.

Sustainable development and natural resources

An environmentally conscious city that strengthens sustainable development: clean and green, energy efficiency, resilience, food security and ecological efficiency.

Health promotion and poverty alleviation

• Pursue a closer corporation and coordination between all role players in the health sector.

• Ensure that delegated mandates are accompanied by necessary funding resources.

• Promote self-reliant individuals and communities.

Economic development

• Provide training, skills development and empowerment opportunities.

• Build on partnerships across the board.

• Invest in socio-economic infrastructure.

• Maximise the city’s capital assets through partnerships.

Smart city

• Build a techno-savvy city.

• A well-connected city improves efficienciesandensures seamlessness.

• Connect the city electronically to the world.

Transport

• Promote universal design for accessibility and mobility.

• Create a transport system that is affordable, accessible, integrated, cost-effective,efficient,reliable, provides a range of modes, is innovative,eco-efficientand needs-based.

Liveable city

Inclusive planning, including planning with and for people with disabilities, investment in infrastructure for improving the quality of life and economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Tshwane 2055 is about our future city; aboutyourfuturecity.Solet’sallbecome“game changers” and play our part in creating a better future.

You can send your comments and suggestionsviaemail,TwitterorFacebook,orviaour suggestion boxes placed around the city.

Antoinette Mostert and Khuthadzo Nevhunama

Tshwane is moving towards 2055

SA’s capital2055 governance

Sustainable development and natural env

ironm

ent

health and poverty

economic growth

smart city

transport

liveable city

Derek Watts, M-Net Carte Blanche and the Executive Mayor,

Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 7 |

With this in mind, the City of Tshwane’sCityPlanningDepart-

ment hosted a round table discussion basedonthetheme“LiveableCity”withlear-ners of Irene Primary School. This was aimed at aligning the Growth and Development Strategy 2055 with the vi-sionofTshwane’sfutureresidents.Thelear-ners were asked what they liked about cities abroad that they had visited.

They were also asked what they thought of Tshwane’s transport system andwhat their ideal recreational spot was. TheyconfirmedthatTshwanewastops,though they detected room for improve-ment.

The learners mentioned that travelling time on our roads should be shorter, which would be possible with fewer ro-bots and wider roads. They also sug-gested that technology be applied to save our natural resources, and that more use be made of public transport to reduce the number of cars on our roads. They also wanted cleaner and safer rec-reational facilities.

The ideas raised will be converted into a report that will be used in the implemen-tation of the Growth and Development Strategy 2055.

The consultation on the Tshwane Growth and Development Strat-egy 2055, under the “Liveable City”theme, concluded by activities hosted at various departments of the City of Tshwane.

The week started when the Tshwane Metro Police Department and Emergen-cy Services paraded and demonstrated what a real-life emergency situation is like by role-playing the rescue of a man stranded at the top of a burning building. The demonstration took place at Sammy Marks Square and the public were part of this scary yet insightful event. This was followed by chilling stories of real survivorsofhorrificaccidents.Weweretakenonajourneyofadayinthelifeofsome survivors and witnessed burned victims, deformed body parts and the trauma of having lost a loved one.

The Sport and Recreation Department hosted a Sports Seminar at the Pieter

Delport Centre. The seminar was facili-tated by Morio Snyane of the South Afri-canFootballAssociation.Sportscham-pions were part of the discussion panel and mixed with the audience. The me-dia, the Blue Bulls, SuperSport United, Gauteng North Swimming, JacarandaFMandtheUniversityofPretoriaHigh-Performance Centre were all there.

The panel discussion touched on issues that impact on communities daily. Cur-rent negatives that were highlighted in-cluded Odi Stadium in Mabopane, which could be used as a platform for profes-sional athletes if raised to its former stature. Open fields that could assistwith the development of infrastructure forliveablecitieswerealsoidentified.

What stood out were the passion, desire and willingness of various stakeholders to take Tshwane to greater heights by 2055.

The Transport Department engaged with key stakeholders on the planned Tshwane BRT.

Mr Rob Kelly from A-M Consulting Engi-neers said that the Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT,canbedefinedas “theoperationof buses in an exclusive or semi-exclu-siverightofway”.BRTisastepabovebus priority lanes as it provides a higher level of service that is comparable to rail travel, ie on dedicated corridors with on-line stations.

HeindicatedthattheCity’sBRTdesignphilosophy would be to widen existing roads or reallocate existing road space. Where widening is not possible, lane reallocation would be done in favour of theBusRapidTransit (BRT).Facilitiesfor pedestrians and cyclists along the entire length of the scheme would be provided.

Mr Kelly further indicated that because of the high dependency on public trans-port in Tshwane, a BRT system would

assist communities. Current statistics indicate that –

• 66%ofalltripsinthemorningpeak hour are made by persons using private cars;

• taxis make up 17% of the marketshare;

• buseshaveamarketshareof8%,including Tshwane Bus Services; and

• rail has the lowest market share,withonly7%.

It is envisaged that the inception phase of Line 1 – from the CBD (Paul Kruger Street) toHatfield–willbeoperationalin April 2014. The other phases of Line 1 are –

• RainbowJunctiontoMenlyninApril2015; and

• Kopanong to Denneboom in April2016.

The City of Tshwane is calling for a new generation of leaders who have the ability to manage three

oftencontradictorydimensions:profit,peopleandthecity.

The City of Tshwane believes the youth need to learn to manage capital, human resources, sustainable de-velopment, cooperative governance, stakeholder in-volvement and ethics if they want Tshwane to thrive. Withthis inmind, learnersofSaintMary’sandotherlocal schools engaged in an online (Skype) discus-sion with learners at schools abroad on what they perceived to be a safe and liveable city. Councillor Terence Mashego, the acting Executive Mayor of Tsh-

wane,facilitatedthediscussionatSaintMary’slabon12 September 2012.

Duringthesession,Tshwanechildrenlearntfirst-handabout the simple things that make a city successful, how they can assist to broaden opportunities to trans-form Tshwane into a global capital city, and how to make the city liveable by 2055.

Councillor Mashego said, “A liveable city is conve-nient, efficient, safe, attractive and cost-effective forwork, play and stay, and it meets the needs and pre-ferencesofcitizenstakingintoaccountbroadersocial,environmentalandeconomicinterests.”

Tshwane 2055’s vision for its future residentsPatronella Molaeng

Tshwane’s children learn to shape the city

The City of Tshwane concludes consultation on the Growth Development Strategy 2055 with a bang

Tshwane 2055 – Transport Week

Khuthadzo Nevhunama

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

The youth of today will be adults in 2055. Therefore it is important to hear their dreams, as they will be the inhabitants who will have to sustain Tshwane in 2055. It is also important to remember that the techno-savvy and information-overloaded children of today surely have something to say.

Acting Mayor Cllr Terrence Mashego is shown how to skype by students from the St Mary’s Diocesan school for Girls

liveable city

transport

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 7 |

Learners from Irene Primary School

| Page 8 | Tshwane UPDATE

Be safe this rainy seasonStaff reporter

Tshwane Emergency Services caution the residents of Tshwane to be safe during the rainy season and give the following tips:

Preparing for the rainy season:

• Repairallroofleaks.

• Trim back tree branches fromyour house.

• Checkandcleanroofgutters.

• Do not dump rubbish in the water drainage system.

• Whenerectingahouseordwel- ling, make sure it is clear of the natural watercourses of the surrounding area.

• Erectalightningconductorifyoulive in a thatched building.

• Have emergency numbers onhand.

Precautions to be taken upon receiving warnings:

• Securealllooseobjectsoutsidethe house or dwelling.

• Cover up cars or park them ingarages.

• Bring livestock and pets to shelter.

• Disconnect all electrical appli-ances.

• Stopallswimming.

• Listentotheradioforthelatestweather updates and informa-tion.

• Have an emergency kit ready,with torches, batteries, candles and matches.

• Remember that ifyoucanhearthunder, you are within striking distance of the storm.

Precautions when you are out-doors during a storm:

• Goinsideabuildingifyoucan.

• Donotoperatemetalmachineryorobjectssuchasbicyclesandlawnmowers.

• Avoidhilltopsandhighareas.

• Avoid open spaces like sportsfields.

• Keep away from isolated talltrees.

• Holding an umbrella or fishingrod is particularly dangerous if you are in an open space.

• Do not drive during a severestorm – get a safe place to park, but not close to electrical power lines, trees, streams and rivers.

• Donotswim.

• Stay clear of metal structuressuch as fences.

Precautions when you are indoors during a storm:

• Donotuseelectricalappliances.

• Avoidusingthetelephone.

• Donotshowerorbath.

• Donot touchmetalobjects likewindow and door burglar proof-ing when looking outside.

• Donotstandinfrontofwindows.

• Whenlivinginametalstructure,avoid touching the walls and floors.

Precautions after a thunderstorm:

• Waitfor30minutesafterthelast

thunder heard before attempting to go outside.

• Look out for fallen trees, bran-ches and power lines as well as floodedwatercourses.

• Bewareofslipperyroads,espe-cially after the first heavy rainsafter winter.

Actions to be taken when some-one is struck by lightning:

• Onecanhandlevictimswithoutfear of also being shocked.

• Ensure that victims receivemedical attention immediately.

• Listenandfeelforbreathing.

• Ifnobreathingcanbedetected,do mouth-to-mouth resuscita-tion.

• Feel, listen and watch for aheartbeat. If it is absent, perform CPR.

• Callformedicalhelp.

How to stay safe around water:

• LEARNTOSWIM.

• Keep your cell phone or cord-less phone near the pool so you can call 10177 in an emergency.

• If you leave a pool, even for amoment, take the children with you.

• Aswimmingpoolfenceisnotasubstitute for supervision. You still have to be on the lookout when children are around.

• Display a safety chart on yourpool fence.

• Keep toys away from the pool

when they are not in use.

• Emptybaths,basins,sinksandtroughs immediately after use.

• Ensure that nappy buckets areclosed.

Rules about rivers, dams and canals:

• Floodedriversandstreamsareunpredictable – even though the water surface is smooth, the watermaybeflowingveryfast.

• If you come to a flowing riverwhere water reaches above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way.

• Nevertrytowalk,swimordrivein swiftly flowingwater; even ifthe water is 10 cm deep, it can sweep you off your feet.

• Never boat or paddle near arapid. Do not go beyond buoys, signs, ropes or lights that pro-hibit entry in certain areas of a body of water.

• Stayawayfromcanals–under-currents are not visible from the surface.

• Rememberthatriverscanhavestrong currents and hidden dan-gers beneath the surface. Some rivers have high waterfalls.

• Watch out for rapids in white water.

• Watch out for fallen trees andbranches in a river.

Emergency numbers are –

• 10177;

• 0123106300;or

The colourful campaign is a cel-ebration of spring and aims to

showcase the impressive depth of culture and character found within Tshwane.

As part of the campaign residents can look out for:

• electroniccompetitions, • thespringgigguide, • promotionaleventsatshopping malls where residents will receive spring goody bags; and • theTshwamazingRacethatcan befollowedonFacebookand Twitter in November.

Don’tmissout!Additionalactivitiesat popular malls in the city include the following:

• Atteridgeville’sAttlynShopping Centre: 12 to 18 November 2012 • TheGroveMall:30Octoberto 4 November 2012

• SandtonCity:30Octoberto 4 November • SoshanguveCentralShopping Centre: 06 to 18 November

Menlyn and Centurion Shopping Malls treated shoppers to an inter-active stand where fun items such aspromotionalballoons,oversizedsunglasses and straw hats were handed out. Recipients were en-couraged to photograph themselves wearing the promotional items at anyofTshwane’siconictourismsites, and to upload the photos to theCityofTshwane’sFacebookpage to stand a chance of winning theirshareofR100000inprizes.

In addition, the City of Tshwane joinedinthefestivitiesattheDiplomaticFairattheUnionBuild-ings from 14 to 15 September. The City’sstandshowcasedTshwane’shistory, heritage and diverse culture,

with visitors to the stand receiving a comprehensive events brochure de-tailing upcoming events and shows across Tshwane, including those related to culture and heritage, arts, crafts and fashion, theatre and entertainment, shopping and dining, adventure and outdoors, sports and community.

Also during September, the City ofTshwanehostedAfrica’slargestexhibition of air, sea and land capa-bilities at the Africa Aerospace and Defence2012(AAD2012)atAFBWaterkloof. The event was attended by more than 40 000 trade visitors from 28 countries, and was followed by a much anticipated air show on 22 and 23 September. The show at-tracted over 95 000 members of the public and was the perfect platform to inspire members of the public to loveourspring!

Residentscanalsowinbigprizeswith a digital competition. Par-ticipants must like the https://www.facebook.com/CityOfTshwane-SpringCampaignFacebookpageof the spring campaign and every 500thpersonwillwinaprize.Win-ners will be announced every week andtheywillbepostedontheFace-book page of the spring campaign.

Prizesincludethefollowing:

• Weekendtripsfortwo • Restaurantvouchers • Spavouchers • Mallvouchers • Winetasting • Samsungtablets • Magazinesubscriptions

TheFacebookpageaddressis: CityofTshwane/Official(Page).

The City of Tshwane is showcasing Tshwane’s unique tourism and heritage selling points with a spring campaign, “Love our Spring in Tshwane!” The City wants to create excitement and entice Tshwane’s

residents and residents of other cities to visit Tshwane.

Enjoy spring in Tshwane and visit our many attractions

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 9 |

| Page 10 | Tshwane UPDATE

Over the long week-end in September,

the community of Mam-elodi came together to commemorate the life of one of SouthAfrica’sgreatest icons – founder member and second President of the ANC, Sefako Mapogo Mak-gatho (1861 – 1951).

The day’s celebrationstarted with the officialrenaming of Zambezi

Drive to Sefako Makgatho Drive at the Lavender Road intersection. This was followed by a memorial service in Moretele Park and then the unveiling of his tomb-stone in the Mamelodi West Cemetery. The celebra-tion concluded with a cultural programme in Moretele Park.

Thebe Makgatho (73) has warm memories of his grandfather, Sefako Mapogo Makgatho (ANC Presi-dent, 1917 to 1924). “I lived with him for two years onthefarminRiverside,Pretoria,whenIwas12.Hemust have been in his eighties then, and although I was only 12, I remember him as a tall and slim man, with grey hair and a warm smile, but a strict discipli-narian.Hewouldspendmanyhourstalkingtomeandwewereveryclose.Hehadbeenakeencricketerinhis youth and there were photographs of him and his teamdisplayedinthelounge.”

Thebe recalls helping his grandfather to chop wood for thehouse.“He’dletmecarrythebundlesinsideandfollow me with the axe on his shoulders. The house was always full of people wanting to talk to him and he spent many hours locked in meetings with the elders, butIwastooyoungtoknowwhattheydiscussed,”hesays.

Sefako was a loving husband and Thebe remembers touching moments when Sefako would playfully tease

his second wife Thabitha when she was preparing supperforthefamily.Hisfirstwife,Mmatjatji,haddiedin 1944.

In 1884, Makgatho vehemently opposed the initia-tives of the Berlin (Congo) Conference. Known as the “ScrambleforAfrica”, it resulted in invasion,occupa-tion, colonisation and annexation of African territories by European powers during the New Imperialism pe-riod. The initial task of the conference was to agree that the Congo River and Niger River mouths and ba-sins would be considered neutral and open to trade. Makgathodescribed this as the “rapeofAfrica” andforesaw not only the immediate plundering of its vast natural resources but also the loss of the freedom, independence and self-determination of her peoples. Ittookdecadesofstruggleandsacrificebyliberationmovements across the continent to free Africans from the chains of political bondage, and Makgatho played his part and remained active.

From1906to1908heservedasPresidentoftheAf-rican Political Union and from 1908 to 1912 as Presi-dent of the Transvaal Native Organisation. These organisations eventually merged to form the ANC in January1912.Thepoliticalslogan“MayibuyeiAfrika”(Come back, Africa) was adopted, and embraced not only South Africans but also all Africans. The national anthem “Nkosi Sikalel iAfrika” was introduced, andblack,goldandgreenbecame theofficial coloursoftheANCflag.

Sefako Makgatho became President of the ANC in 1917 at a time when the foundations of apartheid leg-islation were laid. In 1920, the ANC supported a mili-tant strike by black mineworkers. White workers felt threatened by black labour on the mines, and revolted in 1922, which rebellion was put down violently by PrimeMinisterJanSmuts.DuringthisperiodtheANCopposed a law to regulate the presence of Africans in urban areas. It was also the time of the formation of thefirstmajortradeunionrepresentingblackworkers,the IndustrialandCommercialWorkers’Union (ICU)led by Clements Kadalie. More restrictions on black

South Africans were brought in under the Pact govern-mentunderJBMHertzogfrom1924.

Makgatho made his mark in various initiatives. In 1906 he helped establish the Transvaal African Teach-ers’Associationand in1923he launchedTheGoodShepherd,ajournalthatspreadthemessageofequaleducationopportunities.From1906to1908heservedasPresidentoftheAfricanPoliticalUnion.From1887to1930hewasaninfluentialMethodistlaypreacher.He also participated in delegations and petitions to London (after World War 1, 1914–1918).

During these momentous years Makgatho continued to lead as an educationalist and theologian. He ledanti-passcampaigns,callingthepass“infernal”anda“badgeofslavery”.Hevigorouslyopposedtheexten-sionofthe“dompas”toAfricanwomenandsuccess-fully took the government to court over the Transvaal PollTax.Hespearheadedasuccessful campaign inPretoria for the right to walk on the city pavements in-stead of competing with vehicles and horses for space in the middle of the road. Under his leadership Afri-canswon the right tousesegregatedfirst-classandsecond-class facilities on South African trains instead ofbeingconfinedtogoodstrains.

WithMakgatho’sactiveparticipationin1912andinre-sponse to the race laws contained in the South Africa Act(1909),theANCaimedtouniteAfricansnotjustinSouth Africa, but also in the neighbouring territories. During his tenure, Makgatho committed himself to fightingimperialism,spearheadingthecommonstrug-gle for freedom and determination, destroying racism and building on its ruins a non-racial South Africa with traditional democratic rights that would be available to all, irrespective of race, colour, religion or gender.

TheSefakoMapogoMakgathoMemorialFoundationwas recently launched to preserve, promote and trans-mit the legacy and heritage of the late Sefako Mapogo Makgatho. The foundation is headed by business-man and great-grandson of Sefako, Tommy Makgatho (Chairman),andKhentuPitje(CEO).

Staff Reporter

Kemi Sephesu

Remembering Sefako Mapogo Makgatho

Fire department billing for all call-outs

TheTshwanefirebrigadehasdefendeditspracticeofissuingin-voicesforeveryfireoraccidentitrespondsto.

“It isnotnewfor thefirebrigadeservices to issue invoicesforac-cidentsaswellasothertypesofincidents,”saidTshwanefiresafetydeputy chief, Steve Combrink. “This has been in the approved Coun-cilreportontariffsforsometimenow.”

ItwasreportedinthemediathattheTshwanefirebrigadehadstar-ted issuing invoices for every call-out, whereas in the past they were onlyissuedforhousefires.Asourcewasquotedassayingthatevenifsomebodydied inanaccident, thedeceased’snextofkinwouldreceive an invoice. The reports claimed that the invoices range be-tween R375 and R1 900.

The source also said that it makes no difference if the incident is an accident,aveldfire,oracatrescuedfromatree–peoplewillpay.

Combrink said: “Should people be involved in vehicle accidents or firesandtheyneedourassistance,evenifanotherpersonphoned,thenyes,theywillbeinvoiced.”

The invoices cover service delivery costs.

Combrink said that the City was not the only one issuing invoices for call-outs. “It is not as if we are now suddenly starting to issue invoices ... we have been doing this forafewyearsalready.”

Healsosaidthatifafirebreaksoutatavacantspace,thepersonwhocallsthefirebrigadewillnotbeinvoiced.

Sefako Mapogo Makgatho

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 11 |

Boost for Ga-Rankuwa artists and crafters as centre opens

Major road rehabilitation brings relief to motorists

Staff Reporter

Lebogang Matji

The life of artists, crafters and residents in general in Ga-

Rankuwa and surrounding areas, north-west of the city, will never be the same again after the of-ficialopeningoftheGa-RankuwaArts and Crafts Centre by Tshwane Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, said recently.

Both Cllr Ramokgopa and Cllr Subesh Pillay, Member of the May-oral Committee for Economic Devel-opment and City Planning, agreed that the centre could attract tourism opportunitiesthatcouldbenefitart-ists, crafters and local residents.

“It is important to have facilities such as these so that tourists can

experiencethetruereflectionofSouthAfrica’sculture,”saidCllrRamokgopa.

“Tourists need to come to the town-ships and spend money. This centre

will help bring in money for the com-munity,”saidCllrPillay.

The centre, which is built in Zone 6, is already being used as a tourism centre and a business incubator for 12 SMMEs. There is still space available for eight incubates.

The centre is managed by the Municipality’sEconomicDevelop-ment Division which has registered all the exhibitors who have monthly permits.

Cllr Ramokgopa expressed his satisfaction with the progress made towards improving the quality of life of the local people. “It is a day for re-affirminggovernmentcommit-

ment to work towards community developmentandupliftment,”hesaid.

The centre consists of a tourism in-formationoffice,tourisminformationexhibitionarea,twooffices,recep-tion area, kitchen, four rondavels (exhibition area), conference room with a capacity for 100 people, boardroom for 50 people, two work-shop areas, ablution blocks for staff and visitors, parking area, guard house and amphitheatre.

Products that will be exhibited at the centre include carvings or wood-work,leatherwork,fineartorpaint-ing work, beadwork, sand pottery, seed craft and traditional clothing.

To many Gauteng commuters, the name of the South African

National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL)doesnotconjureupfondmemories. The name brings to mind the controversial e-tolling system for Gauteng’shighwaysthathasbeeninthe news for some time.

However, residents travelling in theeast of Tshwane have reason to cel-ebrate one ofSANRAL’s highly ac-claimedundertakings.SANRAL’sre-construction work on the R104 from Simon Vermooten Road to Bronk-

horstspruit is in full swing and resi-dentsarealreadyenjoyingthefruitsoftheagency’sexertion.

The reconstruction project alongthe R104 started in November 2011 and covers a 43-kilometre stretch of road. The first 4,8 kilometres (fromSimon Vermooten Road to Solomon Mahlangu Drive (previously HansStrijdom Drive) received rehabilita-tion on gravel shoulders to improve drainage as well as riding and walk-ing quality.

The remaining of the stretch of road, namely from Solomon Mahlangu Drive to Bronkhorstspruit, will be widened to 9 metres. The improve-ments will enhance driver and pe-destrian safety and the effectiveness of storm water drainage systems and road signage.

The rising costs of routine main-tenance work, such as repairing potholes and edge breaks, to keep the R104 functional and safe were becoming problematic. Upgrading the road to an acceptable standard

to circumvent wasteful expenditure madefinancialsenseasalong-termsolution.

Although this work is not part of an extended public works programme, SANRAL’srequirementsarethat6%of the contract value must be spent on employment of local people and 12%onemploymentofSMMEs.

The completed project is estimatedto cost about R200 million, which in-cludes engineering fees. The antici-pated completion date is May 2013.

Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa looking at locally Ga-Rankuwa made leather shoes and other leather products at the table of one of the exhibitors.

TheAmaNdebele of the Nzunzatribe gathered in their thousands

at Simkhulu, Belfast, on 8 Septem-ber 2012. This commemoration is fundamentally a cultural gathering by the group of AmaNdebele ka NzunzaledbyIkosiJJMahlanguofthe Sokhulumi Tribal Council.

The event was attended by King MabhokoIIIoftheNzunzaKingdom,various representatives from tribal authorities, politicians and members of parliament, mayors and other dig-nitaries.

The Chief Whip of Council, Cllr JabuMabona, emphasised the na-tional heritage theme: “Celebrating the heroes and heroines of the lib-erationstruggleinSouthAfrica”.Healso entertained the masses with a praise song and Ndebele traditional dance. The Acting Executive Mayor of Tshwane at that time, Cllr Terence Mashego, encouraged the residents

who attended to show respect to the traditional leadership since its his-tory dated back centuries. He fur-ther stated that the Bible says that kings have roles to play and urged a harmonious working relationship among local government legislators and traditional leaders.

A number of Ndebele poets and tra-ditional musicians entertained the masses during this commemora-tion.Mostof thespeakers’andart-ists’shortspeechesandmessagessurrounded the Ndebele way of dressing, customs and how to re-store respect which was left by their

forefathers.

The well-known Nde-bele poet, Mr Sohlungulu Skhosana, led the chief with Ndebele poetry as he stood up. Chief JJMahlangu was flankedby his entourage during his keynote address. Hepraised the bravery which was displayed by King Nzunza who fought fortheNzunzakingdom.Healso indicated that he has started the process of re-

covering the grave and ru-ins which were buried as far

back as 400 years ago and, accord-ing to him, it was not an easy task. The chief also said that the praise songs of clans and tribes normally relay their stories and they should therefore sustain these songs and take pride in them.

King Nzunza CommemorationDan Mahlangu

Inkosi Chief JJ Mahlangu of Sokhulumi Tribal Council addressing the AmaNde-bele of the Nzunza tribe who gathered in their thousands at Simkhulu, Belfast.

| Page 12 | Tshwane UPDATE

The Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosient-so Ramokgopa, hosted an Execu-

tive Mayoral breakfast on Thursday 31 August 2012 to honour and acknowl-edge our Olympic champions for their outstanding achievements at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The City of Tshwane is proud of the two gold,onesilverandonebronzemedalbundled by these Tshwane-based ath-letes, which helped towards South Af-ricacomingfirstinAfricaand24thintheworld.

The Executive Mayor expressed his gratitude towards our sportsmen and

sportswomen who truly ignited excel-lence in sports. The medallists smiled at all who wanted to share and capture these memorable moments with them.

In thanking the Executive Mayor, the City of Tshwane and residents at the breakfast, gold medallist Cameron van der Burgh jokingly said the team, too,should have streets named after them.

The breakfast ended with the team re-ceiving a formal tribute before the full sitting of Council where they were given a hero’s welcome and were congratu-lated and awarded memorabilia.

In celebration of its 55th anniversary, the Lyttelton Primary School received a cheque

for R50 000,00 on 17 August 2012 from the MMC for Sport and Recreation, Cllr FaithKgaditse,fortheparticipationoftheschool’sboys’ team in the U/12 Tshwane MayoralCupFootballTournament.

A team of 13 boys of the school together with two boys of the Kgotlelelang Primary School represented Tshwane and South Africa in the 2011 Gyeongju International Youth (U/12)FootballTournamentinSouthKorea.

TheteamreturnedwiththeFairPlayTrophy,which was handed over to the Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, via the Korean Embassy on 9 November 2011. At this ceremony, the Executive Mayor respond-ed with a goodwill pledge of R50 000,00 to LytteltonPrimarytobeusedastheyseefit.

ThefirstTshwaneMayoralCupTournamentwas held in August 2008. The tournament

ispartoftheCityofTshwane’s2010Football

Legacy Programme aimed at developing foot-ball in Tshwane. Originally the aim was to cre-atehypeandexcitementaroundthe2010FIFAWorld Cup™.

Through the Legacy Programme the City of Tshwane’s Sport andRecreationDepartmenthas been hosting the U/12 Tshwane Mayoral Cup Football Tournament. The tournamentwas presented by the City of Tshwane in part-nership with Football Acts 29 (South Korea)and the Gauteng Department of Education.

The last football tournament was held at the Mamelodi Central Sport Grounds on 27 June 2012. However, Football Acts 29 willkeep on scouting for talented players so as to open up opportunities for them. The City will continue playing a leading role in devel-oping talented players in Tshwane through the football development programme by liaising with stakeholders and producing events like the Tshwane Mayoral Cup and giving the youth an opportunity to gain interna-tional experience.

Tshwane honours its Olympic champions Portia Paledi

Emmanuel Tshehla

Lyttelton Primary School receives R 50 000,00

Amadodana rock!

TshwaneUpdateispublishedbytheCommunication,MarketingandEventsDepartment.Emailusatmedia@tshwane.gov.za

From left to right: Cameron van der Burgh, Bridget Hartley, Matthew Brittain, James Thompson, Sizwe Ndlovu, John Smith

The Lyttelton Primary School boys’ soccer team pose with the R50 000,00 cheque they received from the City of Tshwane alongside Cllr Faith Kgaditse, Ms Nisa Norris, Cllr Nozipho Makeke and Mr Samuel Diaho.

Amadodana Ase Tshwane is an all-male accapella group which sings traditional gospel music reminis-cent of the renowned golden oldie group Amadodana Ase Wesile.

The 17-member choir is the brainchild of its founder and spokesperson, Oupa Marakalala, who is a police detective by profession.

Marakalala says the group was formed in 1998 with seven members from the Uniting Reformed Church.

“When we failed to recruit more members for the group from our own church, we decided to visit other churches in Soshanguve, Mabopane and Winterveld and audition interested members.

“The exercise has since paid off because we now have 17 members from various denominations in Tshwane, andaverysuccessfulCDinthebag,”hesayswithabroad smile.

According to Marakalala they perform mostly at funer-als, church functions, birthday parties, political gather-ings, weddings and tombstone unveilings.

“We use these platforms to market our services and promote our album.

“Some of us in the group are ordained pastors, and most often help with the unveiling of tombstones and burial of people who need such services. We charge a nominal fee which sustains the group because some

membersareunemployed,”hesays.

Marakalala adds that the group is also quite involved in supporting structures and campaigns that oppose abuse of women and children.

“We performed at slain Masego Kgomo’s funeral inSoshanguve and also got involved in subsequent awareness campaigns in Mabopane, Soshanguve, Winterveld and the surrounding areas at no charge.

“We are not into this for the money, but rather to make a difference in other people’s lives so that we caneventuallyhavebettercommunities,”heconcludes.

Amadodana Ase Tshwane plan to release their second album later this year.