NEIGHBOURLY NOTES
a big weekend for all lovers of running, swimming and bodyboarding as the Royal St Andrews Hotel Amanzi Challenge, the biggest water-sporting event in the area and one of the biggest in the Eastern Cape, kicks off this Friday and continues for 10 action-packed days. Sxeaks Nkwinti of BS Sports, the main organiser of the event, is pleased with the many sporting bodies involved in this water-sport bonanza, both local and national, and extends his thanks to everyone involved for their support. Through BS Sports, Nkwinti aims to uplift the local community by bringing much-needed revenue to the area to help resolve its manifold issues. But Nkwinti, who has a vast experience in sport and recreation, believes that sports development begins with the children. Even when working for the provincial department of sport, recreation, arts and culture he always supported childhood development and would like the RSAH Amanzi Challenge to inspire youngsters to become involved in the sports on display, from surfing right through to inflatable boat racing. We wish Nkwinti and the entire team behind the RSAH Amanzi Challenge all the best as the event kicks off with an 8km trail run at the Royal Port Alfred Golf Club on Friday morning.
IT’S
for sport, don’t forget the Kenton Easter Boat Races on Saturday, from Kariega River Bridge to Kariega Lagoon where all proceeds will be donated to Rotary Community Projects.
AS
the Kowie United Rugby Club will be hosting the third annual 10’s Easter Tournament at Station Hill rugby field. This is a day for the entire family to enjoy.
AND,
Friday evening was quite busy with the opening of the new classroom at Happy Hours
LAST
Pre-primary School (story in next week’s edition). It was a really pleasant time with all the businesses that had contributed to the work in terms of materials and labour, and specifically Brian Knight of CM Heunis who coordinated the entire thing. It’s really nice to know that, even in these tough economic times, people are willing to help out a worthy cause.
Then, a little later that evening, the DA held a fundraiser at the Royal Alfred Marina clubhouse where former Ndlambe councillor, Kevin Mileham accompanied by his wife, Natasha Mazzone, explained how the DA was going to fix the problems caused by the ANC. It was good to see Mileham again and one was reminded of when he sat on council and gave the ANC no quarter when he thought they were doing things wrong. It seems that, ever since Mileham resigned to take a position at Buffalo City Council, things are a lot calmer at Ndlambe Council meetings, but maybe the ruling party are allowed to get away with too much?
Tuesday evening we were again at the Royal Alfred Marina Clubhouse, this time in celebration of the Marina’s 30th birthday. There is a lot of history regarding the building of the Marina and the only surviving developer, Pamcor’s Justin de wet Steyn, gave a history of the marina development from the early ’80s until 1989 when the marina was opened. Happy birthday. TotT will be featuring 30 years of the Royal Alfred Marina in next week’s edition. While it is no secret that many still have reservations regarding the marina development, according to De wet Steyn the amount of e.coli in the lagoon it replaced was a risk to health. He said an environmental expert from Cape Town was brought in and confirmed that the marina development would benefit
ON
the ecology of the area, not destroy it. On this basis the government of the day had no option but approve its construction.
and happy birthday greetings to everyone enjoying a special day in the week ahead. Good wishes for the year ahead especially to Geoff Broom, Slade Proctor, Brenda Carthew, Etienne Mouton, Kirstie Ganter, Merle Barnard, Dina Puzilewicz, Sallly-Ann Odendaal, Neil Chemaly, Michael Cholwich, Sherine du Preez, Lisa Lawson, Mandy Roesstorff, Marianne de Vos, Caroline McIntosh, Anton Wiersma, Gerenique Denston, Daniel Mahloko, Ron Gush, John Zweistra, Willie Adams, Chante Pote, Miliza Rickson, Hazel Peterson, Erna McPherson, Tyler Stevenson, Ric Wilson, Derrick Kleynhans, Kate Beavis, Lana Marais, Jill Japp, Chix Pearson, John Rodgers, Lynette Lambert, Jennifer Cumming, Marielle Ford, Darren Wicks, Adricha Diedericks, Desmond Burger, Donné Brent, Dave Hawkins, Daphne Brownlee, Lee Pearson, Shane du Plessis, Moira Hilton-Barber, Cathy Braans, Tori Stowe, Claire Hall, Lauren Brunette, Grant Marais, Cecile Oosthuizen and Kevin Mileham.
CONGRATULATIONS
wish Peggy Southey a special 85th birthday for April 23, and hope you have many more in the future.
WE
success and congratulations on another anniversary for the following businesses with best wishes and even more success for many years to come to Kwena Air (Wesley Hill), Kowie Vet Clinic (on the corner of Southwell and Atherstone Roads), PA Home Industries.
CONTINUED
is a good chance that petrol prices will increase before the end of the month by 56c per litre; so
THERE
warned the Automobile Association on Monday. This will be the third increase consumers have had to absorb this year and will probably lead to even more unrest in the country as every cent added to petrol means more cents added to food and other products. It is difficult to judge the real value of the rand at the moment as so much is going on in the world around us that directly influence developing markets like South Africa. Brexit and the US/China trade wars are the obvious examples, but what we do here at home also influences the markets, often not in our favour. The results of our May elections will therefore see either investor confidence growing or, conversely, might shoot us straight into Jnk Status. We hold our collective breath. With last year’s figures in brackets to compare against, the Rand was trading at R13.94 to the Dollar (R12.02) R18.19 to the Pound (R17.18) and R???? to the Euro (R15.77). On the commodities scene, Gold is $1,276.74 per fine ounce ($1,345.40), platinum is trading at $893.60 ($940.10) and Brent Crude Oil at $72.18 ($71.63) per barrel.
thoughts and prayers are with all those folk who are not well, having or have already had tests, operations and treatments. ‘Sterkte’ to Roy Potter, Andrew de Vries, Jenny Groenewald, Chris de Wet Steyn, Marian Eaten, Martin Bekker, Trish Solz, Brenda Shelton and Theo Snyman.
SPECIAL
wishes and congratulations to other couples also celebrating an anniversary at this time, especially Sai and Brunette Pieterse, Kevin and Gwen Bode, Christopher and Hilda Green, Nigel and Joy Coster, Nicole and Aiden Norden.
BEST
and best wishes for a wonderful future together to Derek Bouwer and Mandy Pretorius who got engaged recently. Wishing you many years of love and happiness. Also, all the best for your future together to Pauline nee Strömbeck and Josh Leach who were married on April 6. We wish you happiness together and into the future.
CONGRATULATIONS THOUGHT for the week: “All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them”.
BEST regards as always, The Team