Shoprite launches bigger carrier bag for taxi commuters 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 25 October 2022 Shoprite’s new red, 60-litre bags are 60 microns thick and more resilient, and costs R4. In response to customers and employees’ needs, national supermarket retailer Shoprite has launched a bigger, stronger 60-litre carrier bag primarily for taxi commuters and people who make use of public transport. Taxi passengers in South Africa are often charged extra for each bag they carry, particularly on busier routes. So, a larger carrier bag which can hold more groceries will save them money on every shopping trip. Shoprite’s new red, 60-litre bags are 60 microns thick and more resilient, cost R4 and are made from the same 100% recycled material as the standard 24-litre carrier bags which are 24 microns thick and cost R1. The 60-litre bag is also reusable and recyclable, supporting circular economy principles. “The idea came from listening to employees and customers who travel by taxi,” explains Sanjeev Raghubir, Group Sustainability Manager. “It’s also much easier to carry one big bag when walking or using public transport.” In 2013 the Shoprite Group became the first national retailer to introduce shopping bags made from 100% recycled content in its supermarkets. The Group recycled more than 5 400 tons of plastic in the last year, that’s more than 600kg per hour, through its reverse logistics operations. To promote a circular economy, the Group is also working towards ensuring that 100% if its own-brand packaging is reusable, recyclable and compostable, and that it contains on average 30% recycled material content by 2025. < Previous Article Next Article >

TLU calls for attention on farm murders 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 29 September 2020 “The minister lets farmers in the country down. Our borders are not protected, stock theft is ever-increasing, and farm attacks get more violent than ever. Our feedback indicates an alarming element of racial hatred during such attacks. The minister says he sees every murder on a South African as serious, but it is time for him to realize that race plays a role when it comes to farm attacks.” Mr. Geldenhuys stated. TLU SA calls on the minister of police, Mr. Bheki Cele, to clarify if farm attacks and murders receive the attention it so urgently requires. Even if, according to him, it does not enjoy the status of a National Priority Crime anymore. The minister recently said in parliament, in answer to a question from the DA, that these crimes are not classified as priority crimes. He said farm attacks fall under other severe crimes like murder, attempted murder, sexual attacks, assault and robbery. According to him, they handle these crimes under the SAPS’s National Rural Safety Strategy, implemented from 1 March 2020, and which will be in place for the next five years. “It seems like the minister is more concerned about semantics than human lives,” says Mr. Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “Research shows that these types of attacks and murders on farms contain other elements than the ‘normal’ cases of murder and robbery. The protection of our members, the farmers who produce the food South Africans eat every day, is the most important issue for TLU SA. The minister should know that farmers stand together and that they can paralyze the country when food production is affected.” The recent farm attacks across the country saw very high levels of violence and racial tension. The EFF’s continued rants about land issues and the minister calling commercial farmers disrespectful and allowing communities to yell and insult them only serve to increase the tension even more. “The minister lets farmers in the country down. Our borders are not protected, stock theft is ever-increasing, and farm attacks get more violent than ever. Our feedback indicates an alarming element of racial hatred during such attacks. The minister says he sees every murder on a South African as serious, but it is time for him to realize that race plays a role when it comes to farm attacks.” Mr. Geldenhuys concluded. < Previous Article Next Article >

Merino Mall baanbrekerseremonie ‘n reuse sukses 1/9 Share GK CRONJE 3 August 2021 Die ontwikkelaars is daartoe verbind om 'n winkelsentrum te bou met die vermoë om die kleinhandellandskap in Ermelo nog jare te oorheers en versterk. Volgens verteenwoordigers van die groepe is hierdie projek ‘n langtermyn belegging. Met groot opgewondenheid en styl ter ere aan Ermelo, was die baanbrekerseremonie van die grootskaalse konstrukieprojek deur die Moolman Groep en Abland aangebied op Dinsdag, 27 Julie 2021. Die Ermelo skouterrein is deur Moolman Group en Abland Ontwikkelaars geïdentifiseer as 'n uitstekende ligging vir die ontwikkeling van 'n plaaslike winkelsentrum. Die perseel, geleë op die hoeke van die snelweë N2 en N11, en naby die N17, is ook binne loopafstand van die Ermelo CBD. Volgens die Moolman Groep brei Ermelo se ekonomiese aktiwiteit uit na die noorde, verby Breyten, en dit maak hierdie perseel die ideale ligging vir 'n plaaslike winkelsentrum. Geen ander formele plaaslike winkelsentrum van hierdie skaal bestaan binne 'n radius van 100km van Ermelo af nie. Die ontwikkelaars is daartoe verbind om 'n winkelsentrum te bou met die vermoë om die kleinhandellandskap in Ermelo nog jare te oorheers en versterk. Volgens verteenwoordigers van die groepe is hierdie projek ‘n langtermyn belegging, waar die Moolman groep hand in hand sal stap met Msukaligwa Plaaslike Munisipaliteit. Die grond word op ‘n termyn van 60 jaar verhuur aan die groep, waar die lokale Sesman Kommitee sal baat uit die opbrengs. Gerugte dat die grond verkoop is aan die ontwikkelaars is dus ongegrond. Die ontwikkeling, wat na raming 60 weke sal vat om te voltooi, sal bestaan uit 'n volledig omheinde winkelsentrum van ongeveer 30 000 m², met die geleentheid vir toekomstige uitbreiding. Die anker huurders is bekendgestel as Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Clicks, Crazy Plastics en Dischem. Ander attraksies sluit in Cape Union Mart, Old Khaki. The Cross Trainer, Queenspark, Refinery, Truworths, Identity, Mr. Price Clothing, Home- en Sport, Jet, Ackermans, Foschini, Sport Scene, Total Sports, PEP- en PEP Home, Studio 88, The Fix, Exact, Markham, Miladys, Tekkie Town, @Home, Sheet Street, Crazy Store, Nedbank, Capitec, FNB en vele meer. Die ontwikkeling sal 'n gekombineerde mark bedien wat bestaan uit die plaaslike inwoners, sowel as honderde pendelaars wat na- en deur Ermelo reis vanaf omliggende plattelandse en klein dorpies in die streek. Meer foto’s en video’s van die seremonie is beskikbaar op ons Facebook blad, Tribune Ermelo. < Previous Article Next Article >

Danger, stray cattle ahead 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 7 September 2021 Several motorists have narrowly avoided colliding with these bumbling animals, who couldn’t care less for oncoming traffic. As reported by various media houses, the issue of stray livestock in Ermelo residential areas, parts of the CBD and the outskirts has been ongoing for years, with no action on part of Msukaligwa Local Municipality (MLM) and its departments. A warning is hereby issued to residents traveling in the vicinity of Pick n Pay, as there are a group of stray cattle at the traffic light on a daily basis. At an intersection where vehicles often travel at moderate to high speeds, this is a life-threatening situation. In the case of stray livestock in Ermelo and the surrounding areas, the by-laws are wholly ignore. This is hardly surprising, as the by-laws set forth by the municipality are failed to be upheld. This creates a vicious cycle of frustration, property damage and a danger for motorists. The stray livestock in Ermelo have become so used to traffic and scolds from angry residents, that not even car horns or angry yells spook these animals. Several motorists have narrowly avoided colliding with these bumbling animals, who couldn’t care less for oncoming traffic. This an ongoing, serious and pressing issue in Ermelo. Alas, MLM officials are yet to take decisive action. < Previous Article Next Article >

Confident teachers the key to mathematical success 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 6 October 2020 At the same time, academic performance amongst learners who did write Mathematics decreased significantly, with 54,6% of candidates achieving 30% and above in 2019, and a mere 35% of learners achieving 40% or above. “The reason for this poor performance is that students do not fully comprehend key areas such as functions and graphs, calculus, probability, geometry and trigonometry. For Grade 12 Mathematics learners to confidently attempt more difficult questions, teachers need to challenge their students. This starts with developing confidence in educators, revealed Anne Eadie, Co-Founder of The Answer Series and Mathematics author, with 45 years’ worth of experience under her belt. To help build teacher confidence, and thereby inspire better performance amongst learners, The Answer Series recently hosted two virtual workshops centred on effectively teaching Level 3 and 4 Matric Maths questions to teachers around the country. Eadie was joined by Susan Carletti, Head of Advanced Programme Mathematics at Rondebosch Boys’ High School, and Jenny Campbell, Head of Mathematics at Bishops Diocesan College. The sessions formed part of The Answer Series’ goal of supporting South African teachers, for whom 2020 has been a particularly challenging year with remote learning, increased substitutions and a need for greater tech-savvy being just a few of this years’ hurdles. According to Eadie, knowledge is extremely important for building teacher confidence: “For teachers to impactfully educate their students and inspire interest in Mathematics, they need to have knowledge of Mathematical language, theory, concepts and contexts, and be able to apply this with ease. Only then can they successfully transfer these concepts to learners and help them to develop recognition for mathematical logic and ultimately self-directed learning. However, this all begins with confidence.” This is supported by the latest research conducted by the Department of Education, which found that fewer students opted to write mathematics in 2019 compared to learners between 2014 and 2018. At the same time, academic performance amongst learners who did write Mathematics decreased significantly, with 54,6% of candidates achieving 30% and above in 2019, and a mere 35% of learners achieving 40% or above. “The reason for this poor performance is that students do not fully comprehend key areas such as functions and graphs, calculus, probability, geometry and trigonometry. Learners do not understand the logic behind these Mathematical concepts, which is compounded by an over-reliance on past examination papers for revision. Hence, we see students struggling with complex procedures and problem solving, which together form 45% of the exam.” Eadie explained. At the workshops, which were conducted in both English and Afrikaans, The Answer Series also announced the launch of Maths Majors, a new community forum for Maths teachers to share knowledge, grow confidence and work together to overcome common challenges in the classroom. In addition, the organisation is also providing free e-books for teachers as well as video lessons for Grade 12s as part of its mission to further education in South Africa. George Eadie, CEO of The Answer Series, concludes: “By helping teachers, we jointly raise the standard of education in South Africa. Key to this is imparting confidence in teachers, which we aim to do by providing learning resources and materials for both staff and students, so that they can overcome their fears and become masters in their subject.” To find out more about how The Answer Series is empowering confidence in teachers, go to https://www.theanswer.co.za . < Previous Article Next Article >

Feeble excuses such as suspiciously incessant alleged cable faults on the 88kVA line, random system overloads, illegal connections and a myriad of other nonsensical explanations for inefficient service delivery on the part of the municipality only elongates the noose that MLM hands itself. MLM rotational load shedding frustrates residents 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 2 June 2020 Feeble excuses such as suspiciously incessant alleged cable faults on the 88kVA line, random system overloads, illegal connections and a myriad of other nonsensical explanations for inefficient service delivery on the part of the municipality only elongates the noose that MLM hands itself. Infuriated residents are left in the dark on a daily basis, since Msukaligwa Local Municipality (MLM) resorted to rotational municipal load shedding. MLM stated that the load shedding is due to the high demand of electricity from residents, and the load shedding is to avoid complete blackout and damage to substations and equipment. While this is all good and well, the fact that electricity is not restored in a timeous manner is the thorn in the side of residents affected. Aggravating the situation even more is the fact that several wards and areas in and around Ermelo has been without water for nearly 48 hours, with no solution or information forthcoming from MLM. The call centre displays their usual sterling inefficiency, and residents are left pondering their fate in darkness. Complaints from residents also includes the fact the schedule posted by MLM are changed without informing the residents, and that the electricity supply is interrupted randomly and in conflict with the scheduled times. The largest influx of complaints are from De Bruin Park residents, where the rotational load shedding has been implemented for more than two weeks in succession, and often during peak times when children needs to bathed, and the time that any normal household would cook food for their families. Several residents have reported being left without electricity for more than 72 hours, and residents of Thusiville bears a large brunt of the outages. Claims have also surfaced that residents who purchase electricity directly from Eskom experience no load shedding at all. Adding fuel to the fire is that the load shedding has been implemented by MLM, with no information or turnaround plan released to the residents affected. Residents in John Vorster Park are left hands in their hair with the daily electricity interruptions, often being left without electricity for up to six hours at a time. Several residents have also stated that wards that experienced no electricity issues for several years are suddenly bearing the brunt of the outages, despite no significant residential development in the area. While MLM blames illegal connections, ageing infrastructure and demand that is too high, the question on everyone’s mind is how long residents will sit without electricity once Eskom implements load shedding on a national scale. Residents in Ermelo and the surrounding areas lament the fact that MLM fails consistently to provide the service that they are paid for providing. One resident highlighted the fact that MLM is quick to disconnect electricity supply to your residence or business should you fall behind on payments, but does not reciprocate by providing basic service delivery. The situation currently experienced by residents in Ermelo is slated as unacceptable, to say the least. At the end of the day, it would seem that MLM plays the blame game instead of accepting responsibility for their poor service delivery. Feeble excuses such as suspiciously incessant alleged cable faults on the 88kVA line, random system overloads, illegal connections and a myriad of other nonsensical explanations for inefficient service delivery on the part of the municipality only elongates the noose that MLM hands itself. The Tribune will submit enquiries to MLM, various political parties and the Ermelo Business Association regarding the issues experienced. Read the various responses in next week’s newspaper. < Previous Article Next Article >

Rus sag, Gert 1/4 Share SH HATTINGH 7 Julie 2020 Gert was ‘n reuse visvang-liefhebber, en as hy kon kies, sou hy elke dag op sy boot, genaamd Felix, op Sodwana se golwe gaan speel het. Hy het ook ‘n groot liefde vir diere gehad. Hy was die presiese mense liefhebber, hy het altyd seker gemaak dat almal om hom altyd gelukkig is. Hy was ‘n groot sport op die viswaters, altyd tyd gemaak vir ‘n grappie, maar kon ook streng wees. Gert van Coller, gebore 25 Julie 1961, is op Donderdag, 2 Julie 2020, skielik oorlede. Gert was ‘n baie bekende in Ermelo, veral onder die vissermanne. Gert het elke dag gelewe vir sy vrou, Yolandé, en sy dogter, Melané. Gert was ‘n reuse visvang-liefhebber, en as hy kon kies, sou hy elke dag op sy boot, genaamd Felix, op Sodwana se golwe gaan speel het. Hy het ook ‘n groot liefde vir diere gehad. Hy was die presiese mense liefhebber, hy het altyd seker gemaak dat almal om hom altyd gelukkig is. Hy was ‘n groot sport op die viswaters, altyd tyd gemaak vir ‘n grappie, maar kon ook streng wees. Tydens ‘n onderhoud met sy vrou, het sy aan die Tribune gesê dat sy het nie woorde nie, sy weet nie wat om te sê nie, maar sy gaan hom vreeslik mis. Sy dogter, Melané, het sulke diep en ware woorde van haar pappa gedeel op haar Facebook blad, en dit beskryf presies hoe haar pappa was. “My liefste pappa, jy was my rots in die rowwe see. Jy was my raadgewer. Jy was my `keep calm.' Jy is my begin en einde. Ek het jou lief. Daar waar jy nou is, weet ek jy is gelukkig. Dankie vir alles wat Pa my geleer het. Ek verlang alklaar. Jesus het vandag my yster gevat. I promise I will never disappoint you, I will make you proud! ❤ Melaans”. Daar sal ‘n teraardbestelling gehou word te Sodwana wat na Gert se wense was, die datum sal bevestig word op ‘n latere stadium weens COVID-19. Die familie wil graag die gemeenskap bedank vir elke boodskap, oproep en almal se liefde en omgee. Gert word oorleef deur sy vrou, Yolandé, sy dogter Melané en familie. < Previous Article Next Article >

Bethal had to endure daily bouts of load shedding that lasted up to 18 hours over the last few years, as the council did not meet its obligations to Eskom. It caused immense damage to the local economy and it grossly violated human dignity. Pressure from FF Plus results in R95 million payment 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 22 September 2020 Bethal had to endure daily bouts of load shedding that lasted up to 18 hours over the last few years, as the council did not meet its obligations to Eskom. It caused immense damage to the local economy and it grossly violated human dignity. Despite the non-payment of the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, which encompasses Bethal, Charl Cilliers, Embalenhle, Evander, Kinross, Leandra, Secunda, Trichardt, to Eskom, and the detrimental consequences thereof for residents, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Bethal. Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) has made a payment of R95 million to Eskom. Although the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality still owes Eskom approximately R1,7 billion, the FF Plus has applied enough pressure to ensure that a payment is made with the specific aim of restoring the full electricity supply to Bethal and Emzinoni. Bethal had to endure daily bouts of load shedding that lasted up to 18 hours over the last few years, as the council did not meet its obligations to Eskom. It caused immense damage to the local economy and it grossly violated human dignity. GSDM has given Eskom three days to restore Bethal's power supply to its full capacity. < Previous Article Next Article >

Beware of circulating fake messages 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 8 February 2022 Unless you provide the scammer with authentication, verification or one time PIN (OTP) or banking PIN codes, the call will be futile. Residents are hereby requested to refrain from circulating a WhatsApp message that claims that your banking application on your phone can be hacked via a phone call. According to the message, the caller allegedly requests you to pick an option between pressing 1 and 2 on your dialer, to confirm whether or not you are vaccinated. Your banking app is then allegedly hacked after completing the dialing prompts. This circulating chain message should be considered as fake. Based off available information, the currently circulating message had been constructed off a similar WhatsApp message that had circulated in May 2021, which had been verified as fake. The fake message from 2021 also stated that the call was for “vaccination status census”. Verified sources state that a scammer can call you, pretending to be someone official, and so gain access to your personal details. Unless you provide the scammer with authentication, verification or one time PIN (OTP) or banking PIN codes, the call will be futile. According to ABSA, in cases such as these, fraudster will call you, pretending to be a bank representative or other authoritative person, who requires information such as your ID number, banking details and logon credentials to your online banking profile, to solve a problem or prevent your account from being closed. Vishing is difficult to trace, especially now that fraudsters can mask their numbers, leading a victim to believe that the call is from a legitimate source, or by diverting their number to a legitimate number. Clients can protect themselves by always being vigilant and never sharing their PIN, password, passcode and transaction verification or card CVV number with anyone. If you receive such a phonecall, immediately end the call, and report the call to your bank’s fraud helpline, and alert the SAPS. Your bank will never require you to verify your PIN, CVV or account details via a phonecall. < Previous Article Next Article >

Vehicle license renewals made easy at SAPO 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 12 January 2021 ce. Mokoatle says it does not matter if you did not receive a renewal notice; the renewal form (ALV) can also be downloaded from the SAPO website. You will need to present an identity document when renewing your motor vehicle licence. Motorists in Ermelo, Ganala-Kriel, Siyabuswa, Mbombela, Thulamahashe and Volksrust can now renew their car licences much more conveniently at their local South African Post Office (SAPO). This service is offered in cooperation with the Mpumalanga Government. Cash as well as debit and credit cards are accepted as payment for the renewal of motor vehicle licences. “Post Offices offer an extra venue for renewing motor vehicle licences,” says regional manager Thomas Mokoatlo. “Post Offices are also open on Saturdays from 08:00 to 12:30, and that is a blessing for people who work during the week.” Unlike other licence renewal agencies, the post office does not charge a cent extra for the service. The client pays only the amount on the renewal form. Also, there is no need to return days later to collect your licence disk. You leave the post office with your new licence. Mokoatle says it does not matter if you did not receive a renewal notice; the renewal form (ALV) can also be downloaded from the SAPO website. You will need to present an identity document when renewing your motor vehicle licence. The Post Offices offer a bulk renewal service for fleet owners, who can drop off their renewals and collect their disks later. The renewal of motor vehicle licences is one of the most popular transactions at Post Office branches – clear evidence of the success of this service. During the past financial year more than three million motorists renewed their car licences at a post office branch. Motorists who have received a traffic fine issued in terms of the AARTO Act can pay the traffic fine at any Post Office countrywide. < Previous Article Next Article >

Malaza stated that substantial amounts are being paid to Eskom, servicing an account that, according to him, may not be settled in the near future. Update: MLM budget announcement 1/2 Share GK CRONJE 15 June 2021 Malaza stated that substantial amounts are being paid to Eskom, servicing an account that, according to him, may not be settled in the near future. Amidst all-time high dissatisfaction from residents, and a new low in service delivery, the IDP budget has been announced by Msukaligwa Local Municipality (MLM), and has been slated as a multi-year budget. The MLM executive mayor, Cllr. Mkhaliphi, delivered the budget announcement, and subsequently outlined the state of the municipality. He admitted that the municipality is currently in a mixed state, and that several backlogs have been ameliorated due to the purchase of new equipment. According to Mkhaliphi, MLM will no longer rely on private service providers for fault finding and other services and that service delivery will be fast tracked. According to the report, MLM acquired, since 2019, 15 new vehicles, a compactor truck, a sweage suction tanker, 2 TLB heavy machinery vehicles and 2 vehicles for traffic management. According to Mkhaliphi, this will reduce expenditure on contractors. However, water delivery to rural areas are still maintained by hired vehicles. The acting municipal manager, SI Malaza, further stated that with the assistance of Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM), the municipality has aquired 5 water tankers, a bulldozer for the landfill site, a waste compactor truck, crane truck, a TLB, 6 light delivery vehicles and 1 traffic vehicle. He further stated that the municipality struggles with ageing infrastructure, insufficient maintenance budget, as well as issues with revenue collection. MLM is currently implementing a financial recovery plan to enhance revenue. Another major setback involves electricity, cable and copper theft, as well as arson. Malaza stated that substantial amounts are being paid to Eskom, servicing an account that, according to him, may not be settled in the near future. According to the latest know figures, MLM has an arrangement of R180 634 883 with Eskom, with R35 000 000 already paid, and R145 634 883 being outstanding. It is unclear how these figures were calculated, or if these amounts are the interest or the capital amount owed. According to the last known report, MLM owed Eskom R172 million in August 2020. According to the MLM spokesman, Mandla Zwane, the municipality is on schedule with the arrangement between MLM and Eskom, and has stated that the NMD has remain unchanged since the court order forcing the lowered NMD to be restored. Find the detailed layout of the IDP in next week’s publication of the Tribune ePaper, including the services covered by MIG, departmental and WSIG funds. < Previous Article Next Article >

Jumping back on the nuclear horse 1/1 Share GK CRONJE 16 June 2020 The renewed vigor for nuclear energy comes as a surprise, as government dropped controversial plans to build eight nuclear power stations. These dubious deals had been initiated by former president Jacob Zuma, and has come under extreme scrutiny amidst serious allegations of corruption. According to statements from the energy ministry, South Africa is planning a 2 500 megawatt civil nuclear programme in an attempt to solve the country's electricity supply problem. “Given the long lead-time of building additional new nuclear capacity, upfront planning is necessary for security of energy supply to society into the future,” the ministry stated. South Africa is the only country in Africa to have a civil nuclear programme. The two reactors at the Koeberg power plant have been in service for more than 30 years, producing 4 percent of the country's total energy. At this time, 90 percent of the country's electricity is generated from coal-fired stations that are dilapidated due to poor maintenance, vandalism and aging. The renewed vigor for nuclear energy comes as a surprise, as government dropped controversial plans to build eight nuclear power stations. These dubious deals had been initiated by former president Jacob Zuma, and has come under extreme scrutiny amidst serious allegations of corruption. < Previous Article Next Article >