FOR as long as man has walked the earth, the weather has always been a topic for discussion. And so it will be, always. From last week Friday through until Tuesday, the Sunshine Coast was blessed with some good downpour. In some areas rain was measured at 100mm over the few days while in other areas such as Bathurst between 45- 55mm was recorded. Farm areas east of Port Alfred recorded 62mm during Monday night and 12mm throughout the day. Kleinemonde recorded 80mm and Trappes Valley 60mm. Luckily there were no incidents of flooding and of residents experiencing property damage. Elsewhere in the Eastern Cape, as well as Gauteng and Drankensberg areas moving towards Lesotho we have seen reports of winter wonderland snowfall. The cold front which made its way through the Eastern Cape is due to settle in Lesotho for the next day or so and will ensure continued snowfall for a few days while other areas will be warming up. The torrential downpour that occurred all of Monday has flooded Amanzimtoti, and parts of Durban. Cars were half-submerged and seen floating in the water as downpours continued to batter KZN. Weather SA recorded 176.6mm of rain in Amanzimtoti on Monday night while the rain continued. More weird and wonderful weather occurred in Johannesburg where reports came through that a tornado swept through the East Rand Tuesday afternoon in Johannesburg. Twenty people were injured from the mini twister and several homes as well as Phumulani Mall suffered damage.
TWENTY-FIVE years after the introduction of the World Wide Web, many of us are still trying to find our feet in the ever evolving digital world. Some “techies” like to speculate that the Information Age is looming towards an end which will pave the way, for what some call, the “Experience Age”. But just hang on a bit there, lets back track…the Information Age is an interesting topic for discussion. Whether you are actively involved or not, the world has changed and how we do things have changed too. For instance the phenomenon that is social media has completely encompassed our lives and has inundated us with access to information, entertainment and connections throughout the world. In an instance we have access to happenings around the world, breaking news is published at the click of a button and the distribution and sharing of such events to hundreds of thousands of people can happen in a blink of an eye. While we are not going to skim on the morality and over exposure of personal information and such, we have to acknowledge that this phenomenon is one we have to embrace. Unfortunately if you are out of the loop, in today’s time, you are by all means out of the loop. While Talk of the Town will always primarily be a source of traditional news and be available as a newspaper in hard copy with the aim to reflect all news and entertainment events of the Ndlambe area, we too have to keep up with the times. Our Facebook group has grown tremendously and is currently at 5600 members with new members joining each day. Our Facebook page which depicts similar news stories, locally and nationally have around 3000 members. Talk of the Town has recently joined Twitter where we aim to share Ndlambe news to not only locals but to readers, friends and family near and far. Please continue the support we have enjoyed from all of you and follow us on Twitter @TalkoftheTownEC and stay connected with us always.
WHILE stray and wandering cattle have always been an issue in and around Port Alfred and Bathurst, it seems lately more and more sightings, near misses and almost incidents have come to light. With no exception, TotT receives complaints each week of dangerous encounters of cattle roaming in residential areas or on the main roads. Some of our residents have had the unfortunate and tragic experience of colliding with these animals and damaging their vehicles beyond repair. So far a fatality has not yet been reported, but for how long? To date, it feels like one can go blue in the face complaining about the issue because the reality is there is simply no one to take accountability. Never mind the fact that neither the SPCA, or the municipality, or the fire department has the authority or will to address the issue. Never mind the other white elephant in the room; Ndlambe municipality’s (nonoperational) pound. The owners of these cattle are mysterious too; in fact for all intents and purposes the cattle seem to be no one’s cattle. None of them have the required identity markings on them mandated by the livestock act. My suggestion is, if you have the means, loads them up and take them for yourself! I’m sure a year’s supply of beef will serve many households well. Soon the mysterious owners will emerge when their “precious” livestock, but then again how will they prove the cattle belongs to them if they are not marked?
APART from August being Women’s Month, the month also involves World Breastfeeding Week, and very importantly Organ Donor Foundation Month, which incidentally celebrates its 28th “Gift of Life” anniversary this year.
HAPPY birthday greetings to everyone having a special day in the week ahead, congratulations especially to Billy Woods, Ann Hulley, Mattie Wood, Myrna Keet, Grace Pearce, Dagma Rampf, Lyndon Bartlett, Barbara Wesson, Patrick Atkinson, Brenda Thomas, Tim Dold, Renee Vroom, Kittie Joubert, Doreen Dold, Jean Jacques French, Maureen Thierson, Alex Gordon van der Merwe, Richard Legg, Athol Canny, Glenn Henning, Neville Henley, Athalie Elliott, Lenard Smit, Tania Adams, Eileen Denis, Peter Thorp, Melinda Frankenfeld, Simon du Plessis, Ivor Phillips, Maureen Truscott, Megan Wright, Chavayatha Rejoy Ntontela, Kerynn Dahl, Ben Timm, Dion Rieger, Greg Reed, Khanyisa Daweti, Gary Bull, Wilma Kruger, Michael Austin, Charmaine Botha, Wendy Coetzee, Mitchum Haupt, Claude Cockcroft, Terri Harrewyn, Bruce Steele-Gray, Kei Macgregor and Louise Swanepoel.
BUSINESS anniversary congratulations and every success for your continued success to Elizabeth’s Herb Garden (Bathurst), Coastal Spares (PA), Jumbo Store (Grahamstown), PA Kenrich Motors (on their 3rd anniversary in their new building), PA Cement Products, plus 109 years of Scouting in the World this year.
WITH last year’s figures in brackets to compare against, the Rand was trading at R 14.30 to the Dollar (R12.58), R 18.72 to the Pound (R19.67) and R 15.74to the Euro (R13.91). Gold was trading at $ $1,322.50per fine ounce ($1096.70), Platinum at $ 1,098.10per ounce ($986.00) and Brent Crude Oil at $ 42.67 per barrel ($53.03).
SPECIAL thoughts and prayers are with all those folk who are not well, who are having or have already had tests, operations and treatments. “Sterkte” to Roy Potter, Andrew de Vries, June Hart, Linda Hulley, Val Kilian, Ben Kember, Blake Squires, Llewellyn Wicks, Philly Dell, Myrna Keet, Barbara Tee, Bevan Edwards and Brenda Shelton.
OUR sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Dr Alfie Grimbeek who passed away Friday July 22, especially his wife Antoinette Grimbeek, children Astrid Sacks, Liesl Beresford, Sven Grimbeek, twins Kate and Rachel Grimbeek, and all those who loved and cared for him. Finally free from pain and at rest. May the wonderful memories left behind sustain you at this very difficult time.
SYMPATHIES and condolences to the friends and families of Joyce Boatwright who passed away peacefully July 20. A service to celebrate her life was held July 22 at Damant Lodge. She will be sadly missed by her children Jennifer and Kevin Edwards and Michael and Wendy Boatwright as well as her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
CONGRATULATIONS are in order to Port Alfred’s sweetheart, Amy McLeod and Jacques Stephen Rossouw who got engaged this week. We wish you a happy time and all the best for future plans. May love always conquer the world.
WEDDING anniversary congratulations and best wishes for many more to all couples celebrating another year together, especially David and Lize Lawson, Juan and Julie Bessinger, Bob and Gay Ford, Neels and Erika Snyder, Bevan and Linda Edwards and Dale and Leonie Wepener.
THOUGHT for the week: “Success is more permanent when you achieve it without destroying your principles.”
BEST regards as always,
The Team.
