PE Herald can't spell

Have heard people saying The PE Herald is a newspaper that often has no clue of what they are writing about as long as they can spin it into a catchy headline and a couple of paragraphs thereafter – well, just found, you can also add in funny (or deplorable) typo’s to the mighty Herald’s list of editorial crimes.

Case in point, see below. That is a screen grab from Google.

 Now, not sure if I should sunscribe to a newspaper that can’t spell. 

CANSA Relay For Life celebrates life at The Boardwalk tomorrow night

On Tuesday, 25 March, local cowboys, Indian chiefs and Spur people will follow the Red Rock Spur’s smoke signals to The Boardwalk where they together with CANSA Relay For Life will celebrate life!

The Woodridge Relay teams will be on hand between 18:00 and 21:00 to ensure that you enjoy your favourite Spur meal piping hot from the grill in no time and while you snack away 10% of every bill will go to CANSA Relay For Life Port Elizabeth.

The Boardwalk is also inviting their regulars to pay tribute to the late Mandy O’Regan who was well loved by the tenants and visitors to the complex by purchasing a luminaria bag on the evening.  The bags will be lit and placed around the lake during the evening.

A mini shavathon will also take place in the Crafts Market and for those not yet brave enough to go bare on the eve of winter there is the option to boldly show their support for CANSA by having their hair sprayed in some outrageous color

The 6^th CANSA Relay For Life will take place 28 March at Kemsley Park Sports Grounds from18:00 till 6:00 the next morning

Pledge your support by either entering a team for purchasing a luminaria bag in honor of a cancer survivor.

For team registration please visit: www.cansarelayforlifepe.co.za. 

Read more about CANSA Relay For Life on www.relayforlife.org.za

Parts of Port Elizabeth blanketed by thick fog

Parts of Port Elizabeth woke up today blanketed in thick fog.

Drivers urged to take extra precaution.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will host a Human Rights Commemoration event in Uitenhage

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will host a Human Rights Commemoration event in Uitenhage on Friday, 21 March. The event will be in a form of a tribute to the victims of the massacre (the departed and their families) for their role in breaking the stranglehold of Apartheid on its people.

The speakers will highlight the sacrifices that have been made by the Uitenhage Massacre victims and many freedom fighters in the name of the Human Rights we enjoy today.

The event is also meant to create more awareness and highlight the significance of this historic event, lobby support and recognition of the Uitenhage massacre to be commemorated and celebrated at provincial and national level, and to harness support from all relevant partners to mobilize resources to improve all the sites linked to the Uitenhage massacre.

Member of Parliament who is also a newly-elected President of Global Legislatures, Cedrick Florick, Eastern Cape MEC for Finance and Planning who is also African National Congress Provincial Chairman, Phumulo Masualle and our own, struggle veteran, Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Benson Fihla and Deputy Executive Mayor, Thando Ngcolomba will attend this important event.

2014 Splash Festival Countdown Has Begun

The countdown to the 2014 Splash Festival on April 18, 19 and 20 this year has begun. This time around, the event will be bigger, better and extra-spectacular. That was the clear message from the Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor, Cllr Benson Fihla at the media launch hosted by the Municipality at Humewood Beach on Tuesday, March 18.

Since its inception 24 years ago, the Splash Festival has grown from strength to strength.  This year will be no different, as the organisers have promised that they will take it to another level. More interesting and exciting additions to the three-day Splash Festival programme have been included (admittedly, last year, late planning and poor weather presented challenges that negatively contributed to its success.

Through strict political oversight by the Sport, Recreation and Culture Standing Committee, under the leadership of Portfolio Chairperson Cllr Nomamerika Soul, this year's Splash Festival promises to maintain the highest professional standards in events management. This year, the organisers have had enough time to plan, learning from previous challenges. Notably, the contract for the event was awarded early this year.

Speaking at the launch, the Executive Mayor appealed to the members of the media and the community of Nelson Mandela Bay to support and embrace the event as an annual flagship event in which the city prides itself. "An important feature of this year's Festival is very early planning. I am satisfied that we are well on track to an enormously successful event," said Executive Mayor Fihla.

During the Splash Festival, thousands of local, national and international visitors flock to Hobie Beach to enjoy the festivities. The Executive Mayor said that the Municipality intends to leverage on this unique Festival to further consolidate the City's growing reputation as a preferred holiday and events destination. "Our intent, of course, is a very clear one: local economic development. The thousands of visitors to the Splash Festival represent a healthy and very welcome injection into local business, particularly the hospitality industry," the Executive Mayor said.

The three-day Festival Programme will include live music, family and watersport entertainment. Beach Volley Ball, Inflatable Boat Racing, and Tetra Brazil Beach Soccer are some of the watersport entertainment lined up. About 20 local musicians will feature in the line-up, while Easter egg hunts, sand castle competitions and comedians will keep families and children entertained. Another addition to the Programme is the 90s music series that will be held at King's Beach. Artists like Dj Christos, Mdu Maselela and popular television personality and Metro FM DJ Sbu will entertain the crowds.

The safety and security of visitors to the Festival have been prioritised. Close working relations have been established between the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's Safety and Security Directorate and the South African Police Services. Increased patrols, a close watch on alcohol consumption and drinking and driving are some of the issues that will be prioritised, as well as the safety of children. 

2014 Splash Festival billed to be the 'Mother Of All Beach Festivals'

It is that exciting time of the year when Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality hosts the annual flagship Splash Festival on April 18, 19 and 20. 

Since its inception the Splash Festival has grown from strength to strength. This year will be no different as the organisers have already promised that they will take it to another level with more interesting and exciting additions to the three day Splash Festival programme.

The event involves a number of events predominantly water sport, music, craft and family entertainment. Thousands of local, national and international visitors flock to the Hobie Beach to enjoy the festivities.

End Of 4th Term Of The Eastern Cape Administration

The MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Honourable Mlibo Qoboshiyane, today (13 March) and tomorrow presides over the quarterly meeting of Municipal Mayors and Municipal Managers which is often referred to as Political MUNIMEC.

The purpose of the interaction is mainly to receive progress reports, consult with municipalities, share information and discuss issues of common interest as articulated within the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act (IGRFA) No. 13 of 2005. 

As this will mark the last seating of this session in the 4th term of Eastern Cape Provincial administration, the session will further look at progress made by the Province in the implementation of key elements of Local Government Turnaround strategy as adopted at the beginning of term in 2009.

Nelson Mandela Bay Freedom Run on 26 March

This year’s Nelson Mandela Bay Freedom Run will take place on 26 March 2013. The 10km run is an event co-sponsored by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) and Maqadi Ayanda Transport.

Previously called the Motherwell Freedom Run, after interactions between the NMBM and the organisers, an agreement was reached to change the name to Nelson Mandela Bay Freedom Run. The change of name is in honour of the late, former President Nelson Mandela, and in recognition of his fight for freedom and human rights.

This year’s run is also a special one as South Africa celebrates 20 years of Freedom. The race is the only road race in the Eastern Cape Province Athletics calendar to take place in one of the Nelson Mandela Bay townships.

The choice of month for the run coincides with Human Rights Month celebrations that the country will be hosting all over the country. According to the South African calendar the month of March has been named as the Human Rights Month with March 21 set aside as Human Rights Day and a public holiday.

In 2013 the event was given a Participation and Prestige League status by the Athletics Federation. The Nelson Mandela Freedom run also attracts a number of National athletes.

2011 Male winner – George Ntshiliza (Local)

Female Winner – Ntombesintu Mfunzi (Local)

2012 Male Winner – Lungisa Mdedelwa  (Nedbank Gauteng)

Female Winner Bulelwa Simae (Western Province)

2013 Male Winner Lungile Gongqa from (Transkei Athletics)

Female Winner – Zintle Xiniwe Western Province 

Mayor Benson Fihla cracks whip on lack of implementation of Council resolutions

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor Benson Fihla cracked the whip in Council today after it became apparent that some council resolutions are not implemented by municipal officials. 

Mayor Fihla called for an audit of resolutions taken during sittings of Council and a detailed report on the progress made regarding the implementation of those resolutions.

The First Citizen recalled a pronouncement that he made in earlier this year about the state of service delivery in Uitenhage and Despatch. He called on municipal officials to attend to the service delivery related issues in the two towns and asked for updated reports at each Council meeting.

“I emphasised and expressed the urgent need to address service delivery issues relating to Uitenhage and Despatch by March this year. I further emphasized that, in future, at all Council meetings updates should be given to Council. To my disappointment, that has not been done. We have to make an audit and get a report on the implementation of all Council decisions to ascertain the progress we are making and the challenge that we are faced with.”

Mayor Fihla further insisted that an item should be included in the Municipal Manager's report to indicate the progress made in the implementation of Council resolutions and the pronouncements made by the Office of the Executive Mayor. 

In the past six months, the NMBM political leadership has been engaging with the communities of Northen Areas of Uitenhage on issues of service delivery, particularly related to housing and the availability of land.

The political leadership and municipal officials, led by the Executive Mayor and the Deputy Executive Mayor, have visited the areas on a number of occasions to inform and interact with the public about the progress and challenges that the Municipality faces in addressing their needs.

During these interactions, the Executive Mayor made it clear to the community that accelerated service delivery, through decisive Council decisions and implementation, would form part of the solutions to the problems of Uitenhage and Despatch. 

South African Communist Party Eastern Cape Special PEC statement

The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Eastern Cape convened its Special Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting on the 06 March 2013 at the East London City Hall. The special PEC meeting was convened to receive a report on the developments in the Mbuyiselo Ngwenda District (Nelson Mandela Region) of the South African Communist Party, with regards to the unity and cohesion of our revolutionary alliance and the role of the SACP District Executive Committee (DEC) thereof.

The PEC after careful consideration of the report expressed dim view on the conduct of the SACP district leadership in general and District Secretary, Cde Nokuthula Tyetyana; the District Chairperson, Cde Zilindile Tambo in particular. The PEC shared a view that both Cde Tyetyana and Cde Tambo as the Secretary and the Chairperson respectively have played a huge role in sowing divisions within the SACP, its membership and our revolutionary alliance.

To this end the SACP PEC decided to suspend both the SACP District Secretary, Cde Nokuthula Tyetyana and the District Chairperson, Cde Zilindile Tambo for amongst other reasons openly defying the decision of both the SACP Central Committee and the SACP PEC in relation to alliance relations. The comrades will be subjected to the party disciplinary processes as stipulated in the SACP Constitution as amended and adopted in the SACP 13^th National Congress, to answer to the charges of bringing the SACP into disrepute.

The PEC further underlined that the two comrades are and will be expected to observe the SACP constitution as during the suspension they cannot attend any meeting of the SACP nor on behalf of the SACP as enshrined in the constitution of our party.

The PEC took a decision of disbanding the SACP Mbuyiselo Ngwenda District Executive Committee (DEC) and the PEC will assume the responsibility of running the party affairs in the district until all SACP internal processes are concluded.

The PEC condemns with the strongest contempt possible the actions of those who disrupted the work of the SACP PEC task team at Nangoza Jebe Hall few weeks ago. The PEC agreed that communique will be served to all those identified asking them to answer as to why they cannot be charged for their anti-party and thuggerish behavior.

As the SACP we call upon all our members in the Mbuyiselo Ngwenda District and other districts of the party to remain calm as the SACP PEC acted in defense of the SACP unity and that of the alliance. The alliance cannot and will not be rendered dysfunctional in the name of the SACP.

The SACP Provincial Working Committee (PWC) will in the next few days visit the district to communicate the PEC decision with all the party structures and membership.

Deputy Minister Of Defence And Military Veterans, Thabang Makwetla, To Handover Remains Of Exhumed Former Mk Cadres To Their Families in East London

Five remains of former of former members of Ukhonto we Sizwe who were killed in various battles against the then South African Defence Force between 1978 and 1988 will be handed over to their families on Saturday 08 March 2014 at East London City Hall.

The occasion will be attended by amongst others, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Jeff Radebe, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Mr Thabang Makwetla, members of the families of the deceased as well as various stakeholders.

The reburial of fallen combatants during the liberation struggle as well as other military veterans constitutes part of the mandate of the Department of Military Veterans to honour and memorialize military veterans in line with Section 5 of the Military Veterans Act 18 of 2011.

SANRAL empowers community as EC contractors graduate from training programme

Port Elizabeth, 28 February 2014 - A five-year programme sponsored by South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd. (SANRAL) has culminated in the certification of a number of Eastern Cape construction industry small, micro, medium enterprises (SMME’s).

Contractors of a 5-year SANRAL training programme graduated today in Port Elizabeth with National Certificate Construction Contracting training certificates of the National Qualifications Framework system. Celebrating the achievement are Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University mentor, Dr Malcolm Figg (left), contractors Sandra Lewis and Amanda Nhlapo (front), and SANRAL Project Manager Roland Thompson (back) and Simon Peterson, SANRAL Regional Manager for the Southern Region (right).

Empowering individuals and communities along the national roads it builds, upgrades and maintains is an important part of what SANRAL does.

Staff from South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd.’s (SANRAL’s) Southern Region Office honoured the contractors who were involved in routine maintenance work along the N2 in the Eastern Cape, during a public ceremony yesterday (subs: Thursday) for completing a mentoring development programme.

“We consistently aim to leave empowered individuals and communities behind when we complete a project. Recognising employees publicly for successfully finishing their development programmes is a first for SANRAL,” said Simon Peterson, SANRAL Regional Manager for the Southern Region.

The five year contracts were for maintaining the N2 from Nature’s Valley to Colchester and then on to East London. A mentor was appointed for the duration of the contracts. Assessments were made of the contractors’ development plans and staff identified to complete Adult Basic Education and National Certificate Construction Contracting training certificates of the National Qualifications Framework (NFQ) system.

The programme was run through a joint partnership with various role-players, including Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Penny Farthing, the main contractor, and AECom/Mott McDonald PDNA Joint Venture. SANRAL prioritises 60% SMME participation on all routine roads maintenance contracts in the Southern Region.  

Mentor and trainer, Dr Malcolm Figg from NMMU said the process had seen mentees transition from survivalist to sustainable businesses adding that the programme was innovative in its broad scope.

Two women contractors, both working in the King Williams Town area, walked away with their National Certificate Construction Contracting. Amanda Nhlapo of Nlapho construction said she was happy about the certification adding that it took her one step closer to taking over the business, which is owned by her mother-in-law.

Sandra Lewis, who co-owns Damians Construction with her husband said she enjoyed the programme and learned a significant amount of new information. “It was difficult at times – the course was not easy – and also required me to be away from home a lot, but now I’m overjoyed and the sacrifice has paid off.”

Handing over of certificates to the successful candidates took place at the Open Sky Venue, which is at the Seaview/Greenbushes intersection on the N2. Employees of SMME participants benefitting from the training included Tsitsikamma Fencing, Mosadi Business Enterprise, Nhlapo Construction, Damian’s Construction, CDA Construction, Stark Ark Trading, and Penny Farthing Engineering.

“We are proud of those who successfully completed the training programme and very pleased that we are leaving an improved road and an empowered community behind,” said Peterson. “It’s what we do.”

Correctional Services Acting National Commissioner Jolingana visits St Albans to outline measures to improve security

Department of Correctional Services’ Acting National Commissioner, Nontsikelelo Jolingana, will be visiting St Albans Correctional Centre today, Monday 3 March 2014.

Acting National Commissioner Jolingana is expected to outline measures to improve security at the facility and nationally that are aimed at reducing incidents of violence among offenders, against officials and services providers.