The Greytown Gazette

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WE’RE 21 THIS YEAR

The Belles of St David’s are ringing in 2012:Mrs Jenny Platt;Mrs Marianne Roodt;Mrs Gerda Holdt;Mrs Helen Robertson;Ms Joyce Phungula;Mrs Meryl Arntzen;Mrs Jenny Hoy;Mrs N. Ngcobo;Mrs Janet Klaprott and Mrs Rene Swanepoel.

Hermannsburg School's Deputy head prefects, Martin Ortmann and Nonhle Hlabisa, and head prefects, Chezelle Volker and Michael von Seydlitz, with the school's newly-conferred eco-flag, which is proudly flown from the school's flagpole.

An intensive manhunt is underway for the four men who shot taxi driver 25 year old Nzwandile Ernest Mthembu on Saturday night round about 9.30 p.m. His vehicle, a white Toyota Hi-Ace mini bus ,registration NKK 3122, is still missing

Four passengers were in the taxi on their way to Hermannsburg when another four stopped the driver and said they wanted to be dropped off in the area. The one then asked the driver to stop the vehicle as he needed to relieve himself - he got out and then produced a firearm, as did the other three -they shot the driver in the arm and back.

The hi-jackers then dumped the body next to the bridge at Esileni and disappeared in the taxi.

A spokesman for the Kranskop Police said that Mthembu’s mother worked for Deputy Minister of Finance, Nhlanhla Nene and he had waited with her at the side of her dead son for several hours until the body was collected at midnight.

Kranskop Police have appealed to the community for any information as to the whereabouts of the hi-jack/killers and the vehicle - please contact Warrant Officer Masikane on 082 767 4061 or 033 444 1632

In a follow up to a taxi related shoot out in Matimatolo early in December, 46 year old Mzuvela Zondi appeared in Greytown Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of attempted murder having been arrested by members of the Pietermaritzburg Organised Crime Unit last Friday.

Early on the morning of Saturday 3rd December a taxi owner was on his way from Matimatolo to the taxi rank in Greytown when a vehicle drew alongside and three men started shooting at him. The taxi owner jumped out and ran - he was chased by the three who continued shooting and left him for dead. He survived with a number of gunshot wounds.

Later that morning it was reported that the three appeared at another taxi owner’s home in Matimatolo -they shot the driver who was getting ready to go work and also the taxi owner who had run out of the house when he heard the shots. Both survived the attack despite gunshot injuries.

Last Friday, in the early hours of the morning, Pietermaritzburg Organised Crime Unit received information as to the whereabouts of one of the three men wanted for the attacks. He was arrested and charged on three counts of attempted murder.

The Police state they are confident the other two gang members will be traced and arrested soon.

A spokesman for the Matimatolo Police said that the shooting was a result of a feud between two taxi groups . However since the attempted murders the situation had calmed down.KZN Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Ngobeni commended the excellent work by the PMBG Organised Crime Unit stating “We will fight and effectively investigate the killings in the taxi industry and successfully prosecute those perpetrating and funding these violent crimes that have caused unnecessary loss of live.”

After a quieter golfing weekend we are planning some light verti-cutting this week.This will help prevent thatch build-up on the greens, for the Autumn and Winter months ahead.

We are also planning a hollow-tine later on and we have found a good silica sand supplier at the coast.

This work on the greens will happen at an ideal time as many golfers could be busy with the Mudman at Hermannsburg this weekend.

This Friday 3rd. supper will be vetkoek and mince and booking is essential by Friday 10h00 as we need to knead the dough.

Friday night was the first happy hour for 2012, and what a success! We are really looking forward to a great year if this is the way it starts! A very big thank you to Greytown Beer distributors & H2B for sponsoring this event. We danced ‘till early morning and the food was delicious. The lucky winner of the night was Wendy Edwards who took the jackpot money and Ingrid Surendorff won the Chivas Regal. Our Ladies golf section and Dederick Swart won the consolation prizes. Thank you once again to everybody that supported us. We hope the trend will continue.

On Saturday morning we had 30 very enthusiastic golfers who came from far and wide to play on our beautiful course. The PUGS enjoyed their day.

AGM is on Wednesday 29 February at 6pm in the Pannar lounge. We are requesting all members to please attend. Proposal list for office bearers is up on notice board.

You are welcome to contact Elmarie on 0334172441 if you have any queries about your subs for 2012.

“Recycle”; “up-cycle”; “conserve” might sound like terms invented for the recent COP17 but all these terms will have to become everyday practice if the earth is to survive the current onslaught of pollution and waste.

“Seeds of Hope” is the topic of the first Umvoti Garden Club meeting to be held at the Concordia Centre on Tuesday 14 February. Mary James and Charmaine Foster of LETCEE will be giving an inspiring presentation of how the LETCEE programme sows seeds of hope and makes use of waste generated in Greytown.

Behind the brightly painted walls of the LETCEE premises in Voortrekker Street, seeds of hope are being planted and nurtured each day empowering rural women with skills which enable them to improve their lives and the lives of children in their communities.

Because of financial constraints many of the educational toys they make are constructed from household rubbish. For example, cardboard tubes and cereal boxes are “up-cycled” to make desks and chairs for classrooms. . Garden Club members will be amazed and inspired by what Mary, Charmaine and their facilitators create from waste.

This is the first AGM to be held at the new February date ... in the past many members avoided attending this meeting for fear of being coerced onto the committee. However they can relax - a short meeting will be held because a full committee has been formed with some new and one or two “old” members kindly volunteering to stand. The programme of topics and speakers that the committee has prepared will be presented at this meeting so all members, present and potential are urged to attend. Registration is at 9h00 and all are most welcome to come along, enjoy a most inspiring talk, share ideas and enjoy a cup of tea. Access to ample, secure parking is off the York Street entrance to Concordia.

I would like to congratulate Lee Anne at the Green Bar for her innovative ideas, the live Craig Hinds Concert last week was fantastic! What an honour to have a musician of his standing perform live in Greytown...my city friends were astounded that we could attend a Watershed concert in our own back yard and a delicious meal included. It was disappointing however that the “Greytown Crowd” found it necessary to carry on with their private conversations at the top of their voices when Craig was talking to the audience and during his performance. Was the Christmas break too long or do Greytonians just not know how to behave at a performance?

Two much loved five month old puppies were callously poisoned by some irresponsible person last week. The sad owner of the puppies has asked the Greytown Gazette to alert pet owners that this is happening again. The puppies were confined to the yard so the poisoned food was thrown over the fence or pushed through the gate .

As mentioned previously such a poisoner could be a murderer -young children almost compulsively will pick up anything they find on the ground and put in their mouths.So please anyone with any information is asked to contact the Greytown GAzette, Field Security or PANNAR Security on a confidential basis

In a Police raid recently the illegal manufacturers of hundreds of pirate DVDs and CDs were caught red handed as they churned these products out in a shop in Sergeaunt Street in Greytown .16 members of the Greytown Crime Prevention unit received information that an illegal factory had been established and dealers purchased these pirate items at the factory and in turn distributed and sold the goods. Computers, CD’s and other technical equipment used in the manufacture were also confiscated.

Ten thousand dagga trees were destroyed in the hostel area and Lindilani by the Crime Prevention team last Monday after been given information that dagga had been planted in these areas. The team was assisted by Umvoti Municipality workers in uprooting the trees which were then destroyed.

Next weekend, Saturday, 4th February the aQuellé Hermannsburg Mudman multi-sport event is happening!This family event caters for everyone - from small children taking part in the Spur Mudskipper Adventure, right through to the fit (and not-so-fit) adults.

The full distance event consists of a 750m swim or 4km paddle, a 20km MTB ride and a 5km trail run.

The half distance event consists of a 375m swim or 2km paddle, a 10km MTB ride, and a 2.5km trail run.

Both full and half-distance events can be completed by individuals, or teams of three.

Entries for all events are now done through ROAG. Visit www.roag.co.za for more information and the entry forms. Bring along the whole family for a fun day in the fresh country air.