IT’S Pineapple Cricket on the go at the moment, and Cuylerville seems to be heading up the points table, having not lost a match so far this tournament. Of course, this could all change in the next few days and the final – to be played at the Port Alfred Country Club on Saturday – is set to be a cracking affair. If you can get to the grounds then do so, as it is an afternoon filled with the spills and thrills of cricket, along with a festive evening were the team members finally let down their hair (and some have been doing this every evening of the tournament) and really enjoy themselves.
THE road works along the R72 are causing some major traffic hold-ups through Port Alfred. In last week’s article, TotT pointed out that these would continue for the rest of the year as new stormwater drainage channels were placed across the road, new signs and traffic lights established and the road surface replaced. While this is an inconvenience, we can live with it and the additional traffic lights might discourage drivers who are not actually coming to town, to take a different route.
SOMETHING needs to be done regarding the Telkom cable current lying on the ground at the intersection of King’s Road and the Southwell turnoff in Bathurst. According to resident Lindsay Walker, the cable has been lying on the ground since Sunday (March 4) at around 10am. He continued that, “the whole of lizabeth and King’s Road are thus without a line. No phone, no DSL, no internet”. He said that numerous complaints had borne no fruit. So please, Telkom, fix the problem.
DISABLED runner Lungi Mtsatse will be competing in the Nedbank National Championships for the physically disabled and visually impaired, to take place in Port Elizabeth from March 31 to April 4. Mtsatse, who is an inspiration to other disabled runners as well as some abled-bodied ones, is a fierce competitor and hopes to do well in the competition. When asked if he needed anything to assist him, he replied, “a new pair of spikes would be nice”.
ARE you one of the people affected by the possible non-payments of social welfare grants? There are more than 7 million people in the country who are dependent on these grants, but Social Development Minister (and potential candidate for the ANC’s top job) Bathabile Dlamini refuses to even acknowledge that a crisis exists. She would not take questions from the media and, in fact, stated that the “crisis” was merely a media invention. But this is not the “fake news” we hear about ever since the US elections, this is fact. The Constitutional Court ruled in October last year that the tender awarded to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) was illegal and ordered the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to retender and appoint a legal service provider by March 31. However, this was not done and the conundrum facing South African grant beneficiaries is that either someone else pays these recipients or else national Treasury must sign a deviation to allow CPS to continue payments. However, Dlamini has stated publically that the “crisis” is one of the media’s making, not her department, and President Jacob Zuma has supported her by asking politicians to not speak about the matter. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.
OUR heartiest congratulations to everyone celebrating a birthday in the week ahead. Best wishes for many more especially to Kathy Clayton, Kaine Heny, Dean Morrissey, Richard McGhie, Yolande Stander, Ivan Schafers, Ken Butler, Elsabel Wiseman, Stella Reijman, Natasja Pawley, Noel Anderson, Angela Rowe, Lillian Scheepers, Wade Mitton, Betty Rivett, Christopher Whitham, George Petzer, Lorna Clayton, Pam Elliott, Jody Chowles, Wendy Mitten, Matthew Strydom, Ella de Wet Steyn, Allan Davies, Tessa van Rooyen, Cathy Yeomans, Clair Meiring, Angelique Adcock, Joan van Niekerk, Christen Booth, Phyll Long, Tyler Hanstein, Anne Williamson, Kate Heny, Jean van der Merwe, Julia Jamieson, Nicole Sullivan, Gayle Barnardt, Mercedes Biller, Lauren Kruger, Francois Fourie, Jasmin Kruger, Lizanda Hilpert, Charl Waters, John Hughes, Bettine Hattingh, Gert van der Merwe, Ken Jolly, Lorraine Emslie, Margie Kent, Ivor Gray, Maureen Walker, Sue Neame, Gisella Brickhill.
AND, because it was left off last week’s list, a special belated birthday wish to Dave Tyrrell whose birthday was on March 2.
BUSINESS anniversary congratulations with wishes for continued success to the following firms – Pam Golding Properties Port Alfred, Total Sports, Miladys, Standerwick Nursery, Nature’s View Farm Stall (on the way to Fish River), The Fish River Sun Resort.
THE rand is doing well against international currencies and this trend shows no sign of letting up, This is good news for imports, as we pay fewer rand then previously but, conversely, exports do not attract as much international currency. The platinum price saw a rise to over $1 000 per ounce in the last week or so, but this has steadily declined. But Brent crude has ceased its upward pattern and has settled down again to below $56 per barrel. With last year’s figures as shown in brackets for comparison, at the time of going to print the rand was trading at R13.08 to the dollar (R15.46), R15.85 to the pound (R21.93) and R13.77 to the euro (R16.98). Gold is trading at $1 212.64 per fine ounce ($1 258.31), Platinum at $963.10 per ounce ($981.00) with Brent crude oil at $55.70 per barrel ($39.91).
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, Dot Fetherstonhaugh, Ben Kember, Blake Squires, Llewellyn Wicks, Malcolm Cock, Myrna Keet, Barbara Tee, Keith Howard and Brenda Shelton.
SINCERE condolences to the family and friends of a special lady, Philly Dell who passed away Wednesday March 8. We especially keep her husband, John, and two sons Travis and Chase in our thoughts. May happy memories of wonderful times together comfort you all at this sad time in your lives.
BEST wishes, congratulations and continued happiness to all couples celebrating a wedding anniversary especially Peter and Mauneen Charter, David and Mary Boyd, Andrew and Wendy Cock, Ian and Marion Macpherson, Gordon and June Sheasby, Guy and Moira Hilton-Barber, Kevin and Karen Kelly, Dan and Ann Ward.
AND finally, on the sporting front, the Proteas beat New Zealand in the fifth and final ODI over the weekend, thus cementing their place at the top of the ICC standings. Well done, and we look forward to the test series to follow. Amajita, the SA U20 soccer team, competed against Zambia yesterday evening. Having already secured a place in the U20 World Cup, Amajita are doing a better job than the full Bafana side and, having won the last two matches away from home against Cameroon and Sudan (but losing at home to Senegal) last night’s match seemed to heavily favour the South African visitors.
THOUGHT for the week: “First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.”
BEST regards as always,
The Team.