Tshwane UPDATE | Page 1 |

The City of Tshwane launched its new corporate

image during the State of the City Address which

was held in the City Hall on 27 March.

Following the merger with the Metsweding District

Municipality last May, it was decided that a new identity

(which included a brand new logo and a slogan) had

to be developed for the expanded Tshwane.

The former logo and slogan of the City of Tshwane

had been implemented after its formation in 2000 to

unify all the disestablished municipalities. The City of

Tshwane found itself in the same position after the

merger with the Metsweding District Municipality,

therefore a need was expressed by the leadership

to redesign the identity of the new City of Tshwane.

Consequently, the Communication, Marketing and

Events Department started a process to develop a

new logo and slogan for the City of Tshwane.

A presentation was given to the Mayoral Committee

in September 2011 to request approval for the

development of a new logo, and this committee’s

proposal that a competition be run for students to

develop the new logo was followed up and carried

out.

Altogether 61 logo designs were received, and 11

logo designs and five slogans were shortlisted. An

adjudication committee considered the designs and

decided that the two best logos should be combined

into a final design. The winning slogan was “Igniting

Excellence”.

IGNITING EXCELLENCE MARCH 2012

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Tshwane launches new corporate identityLebogang Matji and Phalane Motale

Meet the designers of our new logo and the author of our new slogan

2

Communities benefit from bursary schemes

8

City to install 900 000 solar geysersat 900 000 households in Tshwane over the next two years.

9

City leads green project

4

| Page 2 | Tshwane UPDATE

Jessica Adendorff

Jessica Adendorff (20) is a third-year student at

The Open Window Design College in Southdowns,

Centurion. She looks back with amazement on the

choices that have brought her to this point. “The honour

of having my phrase ‘Igniting Excellence’ nominated

as the slogan of the new Tshwane Metropole is a

clear confirmation for me, that I’ve made the right

choice, because communication design is about

all the things I love: colour, design, typography and

capturing concepts with the right words.”

It was decided to divide the prize money of R50 000 between the students as follows:

The new logo has five key elements, namely the Union

Buildings, its colonnades and tower, a dynamic shape

and the sun.

The Union Buildings, located high on a hill in the city, are

the official seat of the South African government and

house the offices of the President of South Africa. This

iconic landmark has come to be globally recognised

as a symbol of Tshwane, democracy and the South

African people. Characteristic of the structure is its

tower and colonnades.

The eight visible pillars of the colonnade represent the

City of Tshwane’s value system, namely leadership,

excellence, innovation, inspiration, community

orientation, business orientation, accountability and

trust.

The tower represents the authority of Tshwane as a

leading commercial city in South Africa, with Mercury,

a mythic Roman messenger and god of trade, holding

up the world.

The dynamic shape is an expression of movement

and growth that starts horizontally and works its way

up vertically. This shape consists of four steps that

represent the core brand values of the City which are

leadership, inspiration, innovation and excellence.

The four steps rise to meet the sun which is

synonymous with Africa and gives warmth, light and

growth. It is depicted as rising and expanding. The font

used in the logo design was named after the mountain

nyala, a great African antelope native to the highlands

of Ethopia. This supports the link between Africa and

the City of Tshwane.

Since colour provides a medium for brand expression,

the colours of the new logo have been selected to

express the City of Tshwane’s strategic objectives.

Black stands for regeneration – the process of

development and transformation. Yellow stands

for wealth – the drive to ensure sound governance,

financial stability, economic growth, development and

job creation. Green stands for contentment – achieved

through the provision of basic services and the

fulfilment of the democracy and Batho Pele principles.

The slogan “Igniting Excellence” underlines the City’s vision to become the African Capital City of Excellence.

• R20 000,00 each for the two designers of the winning logo: Both students are from TUT.

• R10 000,00 for the student whose slogan won: The student is from Open Window.

Meet the designers of our new logo and the author of our new slogan

Moshe Ngoasheng

Moshe Ngoasheng (21), a third-year Graphic Design

student at the Tshwane University of Technology,

was born as the only son of Rose and Lesiba Klaas,

in Toronto, close to Mankweng on the outskirts of

Polokwane in the Limpopo Province. His interest in

design was sparked when he was still a learner at

the SJ van der Merwe High School in Lebowakgomo,

where he excelled in the subject Technical Drawing.

Bridget Phaahla

It took a lot of convincing on her part to persuade

her parents, and especially her dad, Frans, that

one could actually make a career of graphic design.

That’s probably why Bridget Phaahla (22) enrolled for

a B.Com degree first, before realising that font, rather

than figures, are her forte. Bridget Phaahla is now

a third-year Graphic Design student at the Tshwane

University of Technology.

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 3 |

During recent years, the City of

Tshwane has changed from

being merely the capital city and seat

of government of South Africa to a

metropolis where people of all races,

colours and creeds live and work

alongside each other, and this change

is still ongoing.

During his State of the City Address

in the City Hall on 27 March 2012,

Executive Mayor Cllr Kgosientso

Ramokgopa outlined how the City has

transformed over the years into the

single largest metropolitan municipality

in Africa, enhancing the quality of life of

all its residents and rendering effective

and affordable services.

Mayor Ramokgopa’s speech reflected

on past achievements and stated the

processes that will achieve the City’s

main service delivery objectives in the

coming years.

The opening remarks of the address

mentioned that the City of Tshwane

merged with the former Metsweding

district municipality and the

municipalities of Nokeng Tsa Taemane

and Kungwini less than a year ago.

“When we embarked on this massive

move, we promised the residents that

life would be better in the new Tshwane.

We promised that the provision and

level of service would be standardised

to the benefit of all of our residents.

Since the merger, the City has

embarked on various initiatives to fast-

track integration,” Ramokgopa said.

He added that a recognisable symbol

is needed to celebrate the City of

Tshwane’s new identity and its diverse

cultural heritage. The unveiling of the

City’s new coat of arms will coincide

with heritage month in September.

The Executive Mayor indicated that

in order to deliver the City’s mandate,

there is a need to appoint high-calibre

executives such as the City Manager,

three Deputy City Managers, the Audit

Executive Officer, the Chief Financial

Officer and most of the Strategic

Executive Directors. All seven Regional

Executive Directors have already

been appointed. Ramokgopa said that

he believed that these appointments

would stabilise the administration.

Mayor Ramokgopa added that to

ensure holistic planning that includes

the new areas, the Metropolitan

Spatial Development Framework and

the Regional Spatial Development

Frameworks are being reviewed,

after which they will be included in the

2012/13 Integrated Development Plan

(IDP) review process.

The City will also review its development

strategy in the light of the merger

with Metsweding, and will release the

National Development Plan 2030.

“We have established a Tshwane

Planning Commission to assist us with

the development of our new long-term

plan, namely the Tshwane Growth

Employment and Development Plan

2055,” Ramokgopa added.

One of the City’s key priorities is to

formalise its 63 informal settlements.

It is therefore delighted to have

received appropriate accreditation by

the Gauteng provincial government to

assume more responsibility to construct

and allocate houses.

Together with the Gauteng provincial

government, the City will also run

a programme to provide decent

accommodation for backyard dwellers

from April 2012, which will result in

almost 1 000 occupants receiving

upgraded and formalised dwellings.

The private sector has also been

brought on board to help deliver a

mixed-development settlement in

Cullinan which includes over 3 500

low-cost houses. Similar developments

are earmarked in Nellmapius and The

Willows.

The City is planning to revitalise Cullinan,

Rayton and Bronkhorstspruit. Several

projects to create job opportunities in

the wider City are also in the pipeline.

In summary, Cllr Ramokgopa portrayed

Tshwane as a city of grand economic

fortunes which sets the scene for

service excellence and is constantly on

the move.

(For the highlights of the State of the

City Address, see page 7)

Tshwane is a City on the movePhalane Motale

AdministrativeLeadership

Mr Jason NgobeniCity Manager

Mr Mokgokela BoshieloDeputy City Manager

Operations and Service Delivery

Mr Obed TengaChief Audit Executive

Ms Lindiwe KweleDeputy City Manager:

Strategy Development andImplementation

Mr Andile DyakalaChief Financial Officer

Mr Lisa MangcuDeputy City Manager

Infrastructure and ProgrammeManagement

:

| Page 4 | Tshwane UPDATE

The City of Tshwane and top vehicle manufacturer BMW South Africa

have joined forces and launched a waste-to-energy project at its Rosslyn plant, with construction set to start this year.

BMW, the world’s leading provider of premium cars, announced this major sustainability initiative at its Sustainable Future Conference held as part of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Durban last month.

Managing director Bono Donauer said his company had almost halved energy

usage and emissions at its plant in Rosslyn, saving more than R50 million in energy costs since 2006.

«However, we believe we can do more and have conducted a renewable energy project investigating the technical and economic feasibility of operating the Rosslyn plant solely by means of renewable energy, or in combination with the existing power supply,» announced Donauer. «I’m proud to say that we will take further steps in this regard by partnering with the City of Tshwane on a waste-to-

energy project in 2012.»

Methane gas – converted from unusable organic waste at a landfill site in Onderstepoort – will be piped approximately 8 km to the BMW plant in Rosslyn. Depending on the quantity supplied, the gas will be used to either produce electricity via gas generators or supplement the use of natural gas in the production process, a resource which contributes approximately 50% to the company’s energy consumption.

Initial indications are that there is enough green waste at the site to cater for approximately 40% of the plant’s gas requirements. Eventually renewable resources will provide in all its energy requirements.

This project is similar to a programme at the BMW Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, USA where around half of the plant›s energy requirements is supplied by landfill gas.

Among the dignitaries who attended the launch of the project at the Moses Mabhida Stadium were the Executive

Mayor of Tshwane, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa; the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa; KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize; Tshwane›s City Manager, Jason Ngobeni; Tshwane MMC, Subesh Pillay; various senior officials of the City of Tshwane; United Democratic Movement leader, General Bantu Holomisa; South African Local Government Association (Salga) Chairperson, Cllr Thabo Manyoni; and Salga CEO Xolile George. They had the opportunity to witness an electro-mobility driving demonstration in the stadium of the exciting MINI E and BMW 1-series Activ-E models – a first for the local automotive industry. The Mini-E will be introduced to the rest of the country during a series of road shows in the first half of 2012.

They also took a closer look at what the BMW Group has already achieved in terms of sustainability and climate mitigation strategies globally and how the company’s future local initiatives will further assist South Africa in meeting its environmental responsibilities.

City leads green projectThe City of Tshwane and top vehicle manufacturer BMW South Africa have joined forces and launched a waste-to-energy project at its Rosslyn plant, with construction set to start this year.Staff Correspondent

Club Motors Fountains is BMW’s first SA dealership designed from

the ground up to be sustainable, and it is the leading model for all future new dealerships.

This new dealership is part of the Barloworld Automotive group and was built at a cost of R75 million a year ago. This cost should be recovered in three to five years.

All materials used in the construction were recycled from the previous Club Motors Berea dealership. A key design feature is to allow as much natural light in as possible, and the lights are controlled by sensors and adapt to the changing conditions throughout the day. All the offices have automatic lights and air-conditioning systems with timers that switch them off completely at 19:00 every day. The showrooms have a climate control system similar

to that fitted in the cars. Further savings in electricity come in the form of solar-powered geysers and electric fencing.

There are numerous initiatives to save water too. Firstly the roof was designed to catch rain water that is stored in a 180 000-litre tank. Water from the wash bays is put through a filtration system and is also stored in the tanks. This water is then reused in the wash bays and for the toilets. All taps in the dealership work off sensors.

Nature was also considered in that indigenous, succulent plants were planted, the wooden floors were made of bamboo and Club Motors Fountains also took ownership and responsibility for the park outside the dealership.

Lastly, as happens at all BMW dealerships, oil drainage tanks were installed so that used engine oil could

be sent back to Castrol and recycled. “This ‘green dealership’ will show improvement in energy efficiency of around 30% and an improvement in water efficiency of around 50% in the medium to long term,” says principal dealer Alheit Fischer.

“Not only does this dramatically lower operating costs to ensure the long-term sustainability of our business, but similar to the BMW Efficient Dynamics technologies available in the cars we

sell to our customers, our new building makes it possible for our staff to deliver better performance while using fewer resources,” he concludes.

And the roof tiles at the dealership?

They have been made by a company neighbouring the Rosslyn plant from paint sludge recovered from the paint shop!

Source: www.oshexpoafrica.com

Another SA first for BMW city dealershipGavin Myers

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 5 |

The Department of Health has called on parents and caregivers to take

their children for immunisation against pneumococcal diseases during the four-month Catch-up Immunisation Campaign.

The campaign, to be conducted in collaboration with the private sector, is aimed at providing children under the age of five with an additional dose of PCV13 which protects them against pneumococcal diseases.

From 3 February to the end of May, the department will provide the additional dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at local clinics free of charge to two groups of children.

The first group includes children between the ages of 18 months and 36 months. The second group includes children with underlying medical conditions,

Construction work on the Tshwane Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system from the central business district (CBD) to Menlyn via Sunnyside and Hatfield is

scheduled to start in July.

Planning is already at an advanced stage with the first BRT station to be constructed in Hatfield by the end of June, and the procurement of the first BRT buses in progress.

According to Tshwane Executive Mayor Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, the naming of the BRT is progressing well and should be concluded by the end of April. In line with legislation, the public is called upon to participate in the naming process.

The initial BRT route has been changed in line with recommendations made by the National Treasury and Department of Roads and Transport that it should pass through more residential areas.

The City is currently busy with a demand study which will be concluded by April, and that will determine the number and positions of the stations.

The Department of Transport’s Strategy and Action Plan, which was approved by Cabinet in March 2007, included an integrated rapid public transport network in 12 cities. In accordance with this plan, the City of Tshwane developed the Tshwane Rapid Transit network, and an implementation framework was approved by the Mayoral Committee on 2 July 2008.

A lack of resources temporarily delayed the BRT system from being realised, but a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Transport and the Executive Mayor of Tshwane in December 2010 breathed new life into the project, and in May 2011 it kicked off in earnest.

An Integrated Rapid Public Transport Specialised Unit was formed with a vision to create a multi-model public transport plan to address the challenges the City of Tshwane was experiencing with its current transport system. This plan includes bus, rail and minibus taxi transport, and also caters for pedestrians, cyclists and people with special needs.

Phase 1 of the BRT system consists of two lines: Line 1 will extend from Kopanong in Soshanguve to the Pretoria Station in the CBD. Line 2 will extend from the Pretoria CBD to Mamelodi. Line 2 will be developed in phases, with Phase 2A (first phase), extending from the Pretoria CBD to Menlyn via Hatfield.

The project is expected to include approximately 70 km of dedicated trunk bus lanes, four terminals and three depots. Phase 2A is expected to be operational by October 2013 and the complete Phase 1 by May 2015.

New Euro-V-standard-compliant buses, stations that reflect the character and history of Tshwane, an automated fare collection system and improved journey times are but a few of the elements that contribute to a faster and safer form of public transport.

In an effort to have a credible public transport service, the City of Tshwane’s

bus operation is undergoing a major overhaul.

Based on the findings of a study carried out by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the City of Tshwane decided to combine the bus shifts on various routes as from 1 March. The main objective of the exercise is to make the service more efficient, reliable and economical to operate.

The new departure and arrival times are indicated on the new timetables which are available on the Municipality’s website at www.tshwane.gov.za. The timetable booklets will be available from ticket offices by the end of March.

The system was tested successfully this past month. Operations on the least used and most expensive routes were

BRT project to kick off in earnestAntoinette Mostert

Immunisation Catch-up Campaign launchedStaff Reporter

Tshwane overhauls bus service and timetablesAntoinette Mostert

including those infected with HIV, with cardiac conditions, on cytotoxics and those with no spleen as well as other similar conditions.

The PCV vaccine provides protection by reducing carriage of the bacterium in the blood. It not only protects the targeted children, but also many others who are not vaccinated like the elderly, adults with cardiac and immune-compromising conditions and those who are HIV infected.

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says that it is worrying that a high number of children are dying before their fifth birthdays from diseases that are vaccine-preventable.

It is estimated that up to one million children under the age of five die from pneumococcal diseases which include pneumococcal meningitis, pneumonia and bacteraemia every year.

“I am worried that given our performance in this area (infant and child mortality), we may not be able to realise our MDG commitments – especially the one about reducing child mortality,” said Motsoaledi. - BuaNews

reduced while services on the most used and economical routes were increased. The City is committed to prioritising public transport for various vulnerable groups such as school children.

Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, Tshwane’s Executive Mayor, recently apologised for the continuous disruptions of the Tshwane bus service, but promised that the City’s leadership would implement various interventions. These interventions would be part of the Tshwane Bus Service Turnaround strategy to be implemented during the six months’ overhaul period that started on 1 March 2012.

A multi-departmental task team, chaired by the City Manager, Mr Jason Ngobeni, was established a month ago to investigate and come up with resolutions to some of the problems previously experienced with the bus service. Some of the interventions already introduced include quality management for the bus service and increased workshop capacity to expedite the servicing and maintenance of the buses.

The City’s goal is to provide an affordable and reliable bus service.

| Page 6 | Tshwane UPDATE

· The new organisational macro structure was put in place to match the growing demands of the expanded Tshwane, and was ap-proved by the Council on 28 July 2011.

· The city achieved an unqualified audit opin-ion for the second year running.

· The capacity of the internal fraud investiga-tion team has been increased. Investigators who initially fell under the Community Safety Department have been consolidated under the Internal Audit Forensic Investigation Unit.

· The Schubart Park flats were evacuated and are now ready to be either revamped or demolished.

· The inner city has been regenerated:

o The City created the Church Street flea market to accommodate the number of hawkers who would like to do business in the CBD.

o The Metro Police embarked on operations to close down illegal taxi ranks. Taxi associations are being relocated to alternative places so that congestion is reduced drasti-cally.

o The City embarked on operations to remove some hawkers from certain intersections.

o The partnership with Radio 702 and OUTsurance as regards traffic wardens is already bearing fruit.

· The City held a successful Inner City Invest-ment Forum from 22 to 23 September 2011. The intention was to share the City’s strate-gic plans/projects with stakeholders and po-tential investors so as to solicit partnerships from the private and public sectors.

· Rekgabisa Tshwane project:

o More than R53 million has already been made available by the Na-tional Department of Public Works to assist with planning the project.

o The approved Integrated Spatial Development Framework for the inner city can be considered as the first deliverable of the signed memorandum of understanding between the City of Tshwane and the National Department of Public Works.

· The Marabastad Land Tenure Upgrade issue has been attended to. The relevant report was approved by the Council on 26 January 2012. Identified owners of buildings will now after centuries be the legal owners of the properties on which they have built.

· New investments worth R1,3 billion have been made in the city by Tata Motors (R114 million), Aurecon (R496 million) and Nampak (R700 million).

· The City has undertaken investment attrac-tion missions to Washington DC, New York and San Francisco in the USA and South Korea. Partnership agreements were signed to advance economic relations, and the City also participated in several investment facili-tation programmes that were organised by the Gauteng Economic Development Agency and the Department of Trade and Industry.

· To date, the City has packaged 25 projects that will be submitted as joint projects with private sector stakeholders.

· 450 SMMEs graduated from the Tshwane Enterprise Development programme offered by the University of Pretoria.

· A project was piloted in partnership with Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) for 150 street traders to sell Coca Cola-related

products at city trading sites.

· A three-way partnership was entered into be-tween the Department of Trade and Industry, Google and the City of Tshwane to provide platforms for small businesses to develop their websites free of charge.

· In the second quarter of the 2011/12 financial year the City provided 1 454 agriculture starter packs to indigent households.

· Through enterprise development pro-grammes driven by Local Economic Devel-opment, 933 SMMEs and 1 993 cooperative members were supported and developed.

· Through the partnership with the Institute of Business Advisors, over 120 business entities have gone through the mentorship programme, and over 1 100 mentorship hours were allocated to date.

· The City officially opened Phase I of the Tshwane Market’s agro-processing facility on 15 November 2011.

· A total of 12 agro-processing and prepack-ing businesses have been established at the Tshwane Market, and these businesses created 261 jobs.

· The City participated in and exhibited at the COP17 conference in Durban. The City hosted three business seminars that focused on green building technologies, green auto-motive technologies and green investment opportunities.

· As part of the COP17 commitments, the City embarked on a greening initiative on many fronts. This fiscal year it planted 18 478 trees and donated 204 trees to schools. To date 14 716 solar water heaters of 125 W have been installed.

· Mercury vapour lights are being replaced by 70 W high-pressure sodium streetlights in an effort to reduce energy consumption. So far 13 000 have been replaced.

· The City has laid more than 500 km of fibre-optic cable as part of the Smart City Project, which has resulted in significant savings over the last three years by connecting buildings and infrastructure on municipal networks and making use of municipal infrastructure as opposed to outsourcing voice and data communication.

· In February the City managed to switch on the Ekandustria and Donkerhoek radio com-munication high-sites to include Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit.

· When it comes to responding to the needs of residents in distress the City spares no effort. The statistics of the City›s performance are as follows:

o A total of 71 400 emergency calls were attended to.

o A total of 8 866 general fire safety audits were undertaken.

o A total of 2 931 hazardous sub-stances inspections were under-taken.

o A total of 6 786 fire hydrants were maintained.

o A total of 12 796 instructions/warn-ing notices were issued to offend-ers.

o A total of 232 pre-incident plans were compiled for vulnerable build-ings.

o A total of 111 fire investigations were conducted at structural fires.

o 100% of all fire- and rescue- related calls were attended to.

o 99% of all calls received were at-tended to within two minutes.

· To respond better to the challenges of veld fires in the vast areas of Metsweding, ten grass fire vehicles and five command re-sponse vehicles were acquired.

· The formalisation of informal settlements is continuing. So far 4 800 stands were provided with water and sanitation. In Ga-Rankuwa Unit 10, 92% of 1 200 stands have been serviced.

· In Winterveld 200 top structures, a sewer link line and access roads are being constructed, while expropriation of land is receiving at-tention. So far more than 190 concrete slabs have been completed.

· To date 3 568 title deeds have been trans-ferred to owners.

· To date 630 751 (83,79%) households in Tshwane have access to basic electricity. 76% of households without electricity are people living in informal settlements.

· 2 686 new water connections were made mostly to residences in Regions 1 and 2. Areas that receive water through community taps are targeted for upgrading to yard con-nections. So far 181 have been upgraded.

· This year, 556 new sewer connections were completed and 973 toilet structures were erected.

· 45 km of roads were gravelled to formalise unproclaimed areas in Mamelodi X 18, Ham-manskraal West X 1 and Nellmapius X 6,7 and 8.

· 16 km of roads and storm water systems have been constructed to eradicate backlogs in Mabopane Unit X, Kudube X 7, Soshan-guve Block L, Odinburg Gardens, Soshan-guve Block XX, Ga-Rankuwa, Matenteng and New Eersterust.

· 18 km of new road networks were provided in Soshanguve east X 6, Magalieskruin, Wol-mer, The Orchards, Theresa Park, Annlin, Equestria, Mahube Valley, Nellmapius and Pretorius Park.

· The number of households on the indigent register is 97 100 against a target of 85 600. 153 indigent households have exited as against the target of 300, and 187 indigents have been linked to job opportunities.

· All clinics provide 100% of prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission treatment to ensure that babies born to HIV-positive mothers are born HIV negative.

· The Electronic Antiretroviral (ART) Patient System has been piloted at the Atteridgeville Clinic to improve ART patient treatment, files management and data accessibility.

· On 6 July 2011 the Mayoral Committee resolved that labour broker employees who complied with the criteria of the report be appointed in a permanent capacity. Benefits with financial implications would be phased in over a period of two years.

· The Tsosoloso Programme kicked off on a high note in 2011/12. In Mamelodi, Phase I of the non-motorised transport project to the value of R11 million was implemented in the 2010/11 financial year. Phase II of the project is being implemented in the 2011/12 financial year. The funding was approved for paving of walkways for pedestrians and cyclists, providing street bins, benches and planting trees. This project was implemented from February up to December 2011.

· Various organisations were supported by the City through linking them with various donors.

The City of Tshwane at work over the last yearThe following achievements can be listed:

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 7 |

· The City is to unveil the City of Tsh-wane’s new coat of arms in September.

· The process of renaming 27 streets in the city is to be concluded by the end of this financial year.

· Crime prevention and the safety of resi-dents and visitors remain one of the key deliverables that the City dare not fail to execute.

· At least R21 million has been set aside to renew the Metro Police’s vehicle fleet before the end of the current financial year. More funds will be allocated for the purchase of vehicles during the 2012/13 financial year.

· The Metro Police has appointed 70 superintendents to strengthen its shift supervisory layer. They will be com-mencing their duties in April, and will be the key drivers of the ward-based strategy.

· The construction of the Tshwane Inter-national Conference Centre (TICC) and the supporting mixed-use development will be well underway before the end of this year. The TICC site is expected to include not only a conference centre of up to 30 000 square metres, but up to three hotels, commercial retail outlets, general office space of about 150 000 square metres, mid- to upper market residential flats and a public transport facility. This project, which will extend over several years, will generate capital to the value of several billions of rands and create at least 15 000 jobs.

· The construction of the bus rapid trans-port (BRT) system from the city centre to Menlyn via Sunnyside and Hatfield is expected to start in July 2012. The first BRT station will be constructed in Hatfield by the end of June 2012. The process of procuring the first BRT buses for the first implementation of the overall BRT system is in progress. The naming of the BRT is progressing well and it is expected to be concluded by the end of April 2012. In line with legislation, the intention is to embark on a public participation process. The public is called upon to participate in the naming process.

· The City has earmarked Regions 5 (Nokeng) and 7 (Kungwini) for agricul-tural development. In keeping with this, the city has provided four tractors and equipment for Regions 5 and 7 to culti-vate maize on 150 hectares. Seeds and fertilisers were provided to the farmers through the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme.

· The City intends to conduct waste collection through community-based contractors. This will ensure that com-munities are empowered to look after their own immediate environment.

· Three business support centres will be opened before June 2012 in Mamelodi,

Kungwini and the inner city.

· The City is to roll out at least 10 Busi-ness Incubation Centres in partner-ship with the Department of Trade and Industry and private sector partners in the next three years. The City is cur-rently constructing two centres which would be used to incubate 30 emerging contractors each in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology, Con-struction Industry Development Board, CSIR and Construction Education and Training Authority over a period of three years.

· Through a partnership with the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, the City has secured a R8,7 million grant to develop a shared industrial facility, township enterprise hub and a buy-back centre in Winterveld. A process is cur-rently underway to prepare the land, and construction will begin in April 2012.

· The Expanded Public Works Pro-gramme (EPWP) remains a key initia-tive for empowering communities while rolling out much needed infrastructure. The City has set aside R60 million for an EPWP project known as “Vat Alles” aimed at ensuring a cleaner city, riv-ers, stadiums, taxi ranks, and so forth. The tender has been awarded and the increased recruitment of 3 000 EPWP participants has commenced.

· The City is in the process of acquiring suitable land to establish a regional cemetery in the north that will have a lifespan of 75 years, and development will start in the next financial year. This will go a long way towards ensuring that our communities send their loved ones to their final resting places with dignity. Areas like Stinkwater, Suurman and Ma-janeng have long been without proper cemeteries.

· The City aims to establish fire stations in Mamelodi, Heuweloord, Winterveld and Metsweding, as well as to pursue the vehicle replacement programme.

· A water pond system for fighting fires was acquired and will be implemented in the Brazzaville area as a pilot project.

· The City is to formalise informal settle-ments so that residents can receive services and title deeds. There are 63 informal settlements, and 20 of these are in the former Metsweding areas.

· The City is constructing access roads and a water reservoir in Thorntreeview, Soshanguve. This project will benefit 2 100 households in Soshanguve South Extension 7 and a further 3 200 stands in Soshanguve South Extension 6. The water reservoir is currently about 30% complete while the provision of roads is about 40% complete.

· In the coming budget, provision has been made to deliver houses in Cla-remont/Bremer (170), Danville/Eland-

spoort (131), Lady Selbourne (5 000), Attridgeville Ext 19 (2 000), Fortwest (7 000), Zandfontein/Kirkney Erfs 82, 63 and 67 (7 500), Lotus Gardens (2 000) and Pedustria (6 000). All these projects will be completed by March 2013.

· Together with the Gauteng Provincial Department, the City will be running a programme aimed at providing decent accommodation for backyard dwellers. This programme, which will commence in April 2012, will see almost 1 000 backyard dwellers getting upgraded and formalised dwellings.

· The private sector has been roped on board to assist with the delivery of hous-es. For Cullinan, the City is finalising a land availability agreement to enable the delivery of the mixed development set-tlement inclusive of over 3 500 low-cost housing. Another similar development is earmarked for Nellmapius/Willows.

· The City is putting revitalisation plans in place for the three towns of Cullinan, Rayton and Bronkhorstspruit. These plans will be incorporated into the respective Regional Spatial Develop-ment Frameworks. The City will develop detailed plans for the development of a new town centre to enhance the eco-nomic and tourism potential of Cullinan. It is envisaged that this work will be completed before the end of this finan-cial year.

· An additional 3 010 streetlights and 30 high-mast lights will be installed respec-tively across the city including informal settlements to the tune of R30 million.

· Eskom, in partnership with the City, has committed nearly R1,6 billion over a period of five years to fund critical bulk infrastructure projects, such as substa-tions in Winterveld (R43 m), Mabopane (R108 m), Ga-Rankuwa (R62 m), Ham-manskraal and Temba (R352 m) and Rayton and Bronkhorstspruit (R376 m).

· Indigent customers identified by the City in Eskom areas of supply will continue to receive 100 kWh per month of free electricity which is funded in line with the City’s Indigent Policy. This alloca-tion is higher than the national approved allocation of 50 kWh. (There are 8 005 registered customers).

· Extension of the Refilwe Works is near-ing completion and the additional toilets for waterborne sanitation in that area shall be considered for the next financial year.

· The new Ekangala Waste Water Treat-ment Works is under construction to provide treatment capacity for the cur-rent and future waterborne sanitation systems in Ekangala and Zithobeni.

· The construction of the call centre in the north is expected to be completed by July 2012 and will employ a minimum of 150 agents.

The following are some of the highlights of the 2012 State of the City Address delivered by Tshwane Executive Mayor Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, which was held in the City Hall on 27 March 2012

| Page 8 | Tshwane UPDATE

The City of Tshwane has allocated 187 bursaries to local students

for the 2012 academic year, and the Tshwane Leadership and Management Academy (TLMA) plays a major facilitating role in this process.

The bursary programme which is in line with the Municipality’s Social Responsibility Programme (SRP), is not only regulated by an approved policy document, but is also based on the Municipality’s core and critical skills report which was approved in 2011. Bursaries are for full-time and part-time studies at accredited tertiary institutions. They are allocated on an individual basis and selections are made in line with approved policies. Bursaries are available to both employees and non-employees.

The annual Mayoral Matric Awards Programme plays an important role in

Communities benefit from bursary schemes Staff Reporter

The City of Tshwane has been selected to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant.

This grant gives the City access to IBMs top experts to analyse and recommend ways it can become an even better place to live and work.

“The City of Tshwane looks forward to working with a grant-funded IBM team on exploring smarter solutions to improve the City’s operations while enhancing service delivery including Smarter Transport solutions,” says the City of Tshwane’s Executive Mayor, Councilor Kgosientso Ramokgopa.

IBM selected cities that individually made the strongest case for participating in the Smarter Cities Challenge.

“The cities that have been selected are all different, but they had one clear similarity: a strong personal

commitment by their leadership to put in place changes needed to help it make smarter decisions,” said Stanley S Litow, IBM Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs and President of IBM’s International Foundation.

In general, teams of specially selected IBM experts will provide city leaders with analysis and recommendations to support successful growth, better delivery of municipal services, more citizen engagement and improved efficiency.

During these engagements, IBM technical experts, researchers and consultants will immerse themselves in local issues and offer a range of options and recommended steps to follow. They will examine issues such as healthcare, education, safety, social services, transportation, sustainability, budget management and energy.

IBMs consultants and technology specialists will help municipalities analyse and prioritise their needs, review all strengths and weaknesses and learn from successful strategies used by other cities worldwide. After studying the role that intelligent technology might play in uniting and advancing different aspects of city life, IBM then outlines a range of concrete strategies designed to help make cities healthier, safer, smarter, more prosperous and attractive to current and prospective residents and businesses.

The IBM Smarter Cities Challenge is a competitive grant programme in which IBM is awarding a total of R375 million worth of technology and services to 100 municipalities worldwide through 2013. The approximate value of each Smarter Cities Challenge grant is equivalent to R3 million.

Tshwane: Recipient of Smarter Cities Challenge Grant Staff Reporter

the allocation of bursaries to worthy students. The Executive Mayor annually recognises and rewards the top matric achievers in Tshwane. Students receive awards and certificates for their outstanding performances. Students who have not yet secured a bursary or any form of financial sponsorship for study purposes at the time of the allocation process are considered for bursary allocation. For the current academic year, a total of 26 students were offered bursaries at the Mayoral Matric Awards Ceremony that took place on 19 January 2012.

The Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) are also allowed to identify two worthy candidates in their respective wards who face financial hardship and are to be assisted in furthering their studies. Two bursaries each are made available for students from the poorest of the poor families from each of the

relevant disadvantaged communities. Applications from the Municipality’s indigent register are also considered. A total of 17 applications were received and evaluated and 13 applicants were recommended.

Bursaries for external students (non-employees) were awarded in terms of a number of available schemes. Part-time students were recommended on the basis that they will continue their studies full-time at their next registration. Bursary holders also have to repeat failed subjects at their own expense and get service-bonded on completion of their studies.

For bursaries in engineering and related fields (non-employees), departments were requested to submit their external bursary needs for the 2012 academic year. Scarce and critical fields were considered in terms of the Municipality’s skills report. These bursary needs were assessed and analysed, and recommendations were made by the Bursary Committee. Bursaries were then advertised in the Pretoria News from 20 to 28 October 2011 and the public was invited to apply. Interviews were conducted in collaboration with the relevant departments in order to ensure transparency, consistency and fairness, after which the best candidates were recommended.

The Municipality’s bursary scheme was carefully developed so that not only the bursary holders but also the communities will benefit from it. The scheme will assist in achieving some of the Municipality’s strategic priorities, such as poverty alleviation. The bursary committee was re-established to include political incumbents and department heads. The committee assists in the selection process of all bursaries and consists of the following MMCs: Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Finance; Corporate and Shared Services; and Economic Development and Planning.

The allocation of bursaries is not only a matter of compliance for the TLMA, but also a sign of genuine commitment and good faith. It aims to combat insufficient service delivery in the city. For this reason the City of Tshwane, through the Academy, will continue to call on businesses and the private sector to join hands with them to help develop human resources and to improve skills.

The Tshwane Academy handles bursary enquiries on a daily basis and students residing within the boundaries of Tshwane who are in financial difficulties are advised to apply for social responsibility bursaries. Information and assistance with the procedure can be obtained from Rejoice Mhlanga at 012 358 0110.

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 9 |

The Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa and the City Manager, Mr Jason

Ngobeni, share the same dream: installing solar geysers at 900 000 households in Tshwane over the next two years.

The two leaders hosted a meeting in Durban recently which was attended by environmental experts and potential green investors which included ambassadors from eight countries. The City of Tshwane showcased its clean development mechanism desk which included everything from solar energy to hydro power.

Ambassadors from Albania, Argentina, Cuba, Ecuador, Kuwait, Mexico, Romania and Venezuela, and representatives of the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme who also attended the meeting engaged in interactive discussions on climate change and opened up opportunities for international partnerships in green innovation.

Cllr Ramokgopa said that the Municipality planned to look for funds to install solar geysers at about 900 000 homes in the near future.

He accentuated that the City of Tshwane had no alternative but to embrace green economy and interventions.

“There is no alternative. We are forced to change to greening Tshwane because the poor of the poorest are currently being penalised,” he said.

Cllr Ramokgopa added that as the leading African Metro, the City of Tshwane was not competing with peer municipalities in South Africa, but with leading metros in the world.

“Being the first South African municipality with a clean development mechanism desk, it is important that we

lead in such a way that others will eventually follow and make the poor benefit from greening projects,” he said.

Mayor Ramokgopa, however, expressed concern about the Municipality’s underperforming assets, for instance the Rooiwal coal power stations that cost about R600 million a year to operate.

“We need to optimise their capacity. The good news is that the Council has already approved the Rooiwal Energy Farm project which will result in the construction of a 20 MW solar energy power station.

«The City of Tshwane must use its assets to generate green income and, more importantly, clean and green enterprises and jobs,» he said.

Ramokgopa said this would happen through a method of transferring to the relevant communities the skills learnt in introducing and developing every new technology.

He said the Municipality, as a green economy leader among its peers, had already shown business people and investors that it was innovative by, for instance, addressing local climate change and positioning itself as receptive to initiatives contributing to a clean and green economy.

City Manager Ngobeni emphasised that the City of Tshwane would continue with its vision to become the leading metro in Africa as regards using renewal energy and bringing its costs down.

Ngobeni said Tshwane would continue with its dream to install solar geysers to more than 900 000 households in the municipal area.

«We believe that Tshwane will become a better place to live in if each of the 900 000 households can have a

solar geyser. We would also like to extend this project to all businesses in our area.

«We also believe that if all households can eventually have a prepaid meter for electricity and water, this could have positive benefits for the Municipality’s finances,» said Ngobeni.

The highlight of the meeting was when the Municipality was applauded for its green initiatives and offered the unique opportunity to showcase its projects to potential green investors at a function held later that day.

The City of Tshwane has aligned itself with national strategies in energy efficiency, sustainable transport, agro-ecology, waste management and water. Examples of these are its commitment to solar heating with more than 12 000 installations completed and the use of solar powered traffic lights.

The City is also exploring the potential of installing hydroelectric generators in water networks where large amounts of energy are dissipated with control valve systems. The pico-hydro plant at Pierre van Ryneveld is a pilot project.

Cllr Percy Zitha, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Works and Infrastructure Development, says, «We see this as renewable energy, and it forms part of the City of Tshwane›s objective to be a world leader in terms of a programmatic approach to the Clean Development Mechanism.»

Hydropower constitutes only 3% of global energy consumption, but this is only a fraction of its potential. Africa is the most underdeveloped continent regarding hydropower generation, with only 6% of its estimated potential being exploited. This is an opportunity for South Africa to contribute to hydropower generation in Africa and the world.

City to install 900 000 solar geysersTshwane has no choice but to go for green interventionsPhalane Motale

Executive Mayor, Cllr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, and Ecuador’s Minister of the Environment and Heritage, María Fernanda Espinosa

| Page 10 | Tshwane UPDATE

The Tshwane Leadership and Management Academy (TLMA) has taken the lead in developing citizens that can compete with the best in the world as far

as knowledge and expertise are concerned.

The Academy is continuously looking for innovative ways to ensure that the development of the leadership of the City of Tshwane is in line with its requirements to develop this organisation into an excellent one. In view of this aim it has developed a booklet on best practices, aptly called Groundbreaking progress towards instilling a culture of high performance that is value driven.

The booklet was launched at the Leadership Development Summit to take place in collaboration with Tshwane leadership and learning institutions in the Auditorium of the Academy on 2 February 2012.

This latest initiative of the TLMA will assist the leadership of the City of Tshwane to achieve its strategic objectives and its mission to provide customer-focused services in a consultative and innovative manner. The booklet highlights the importance of building and branding the leadership as a cornerstone of organisational culture change and service delivery in the City of Tshwane.

The booklet focuses on the successful change of organisational culture that goes hand in hand with strong and respectable leadership – at both the individual and corporate levels. Enduring, dynamic leadership starts by increasing leadership effectiveness, as this is the key to long-term organisational results in an ever-changing environment. In this respect the booklet provides some useful information and practical suggestions on how to kick-start a change of work culture in the organisation.

A number of strategic and operational leadership matters, for instance, are addressed in the booklet. It is intended to assist leaders to develop and empower themselves so that they can function at the appropriate proficiency levels to establish and maintain a performance culture in the City of Tshwane. The booklet will enhance the capacity of political office-bearers, leading officials, managers and specialists to fulfil their respective mandates

Best practices booklet on high performanceStaff Reporter

More than 100 new trainees started their technical apprenticeships at

the Tshwane Academy during the first 2012 intake.

Of the 114 new trainees, 20 enrolled for fitting and turning, 25 for vehicle mechanics, 20 for electrical training, 18 for plumbing, 15 for boiler-making and 16 for welding.

Upon successful completion of their training, the trainees stand a good chance of getting jobs in the fields they will have qualified in within the City of Tshwane or relevant industries.

Since its inception exactly 20 years ago, the Tshwane Academy Technical Training Centre has grown in stature.

To date, about 1 790 technical trainees have received national certificates after the successful completion of their apprenticeships.

The Academy provides technical training in boiler-making, electricity, fitting and turning, petrol or diesel mechanics, plumbing and welding.

They also offer short courses in basic welding, TIG welding and MIG welding. Post-school technical training helps the youth find employment in the country’s technical sectors.

The Academy regards training as an investment with many short-term and long-term benefits and Tshwane Update will be monitoring the progress of the 114 trainees for 2012.

Setting high standards for herself has finally paid off for Cynthia

Maluleke. She was recently appointed as the City of Tshwane’s first woman ever to be an assistant chief fire officer.

Maluleke, who is now responsible for the performance of the Municipality’s Fire Operational Section, says she is very happy and proud to pave the way for other women.

She started working in Emergency Services in 1998. During her spare time on duty she managed to complete a diploma and BTech degree in Fire

Tshwane Academy opens doors to apprenticesStaff Reporter

Cynthia Maluleke, the first female assistant fire chief at Tshwane Metro Emergency Services

Cynthia, the trailblazing fire bossStaff Reporter

Technology at Tshwane University of Technology. “I plan to serve the metro to the best of my ability, and I hope other women will be inspired by me and see what can be achieved if one is willing to work hard,” she said.

Maluleke has been warmly welcomed by the Fire Brigade Section as the first woman in a senior management position.

Emergency Services spokesman, Johan Pieterse, said he and the rest of the team “are sure that she is going to make a worthwhile contribution”.

Tshwane UPDATE | Page 11 |

The Tshwane Gospel Choir is more than just a group of talented voices glorifying God through

original urban African song.

This Tshwane-based group was formed in 2009 but has already performed and competed against established choral outfits in the country such as Joyous Celebration. It is also one of the best run choirs – it is operated as a full-time business, complete with a board of directors among other structures.

“The Tshwane Gospel Choir is certainly revolutionising the music industry,” says the choir’s founder, Bheki Langa, who is also a prominent Tshwane-based businessman.

The choir is proud to have two blind musicians on the team, regarding it as a way to showcase its commitment to empowering local people, including people with disabilities.

“This is also the only choir that has its musicians on a fixed contract, going an extra mile to assist them with studies, and getting them trained in personal financial management,” Langa says.

“One of the main objectives is to ensure that it does not produce celebrities, but produces icons through holistic development.”

Langa adds that the 50-member outfit represents a broad spectrum of our cultural landscape, as the members are from Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and other African countries such as Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana.

The choir’s offering is urban African gospel with hit songs such as “Mahlo a Bona ke Metsu”, “Ke Morena Jesu”, “Jesu ‘Thando Lwakho”, “Nimwemwe” and “Amazing Grace”.

As a socially responsible group, the choir also demonstrates the love of God by positively impacting the lives of people in the areas they minister in. In its first year of existence the choir donated 200 pairs of school shoes to primary school children in need. The choir also supports Childline in the fight against child abuse.

No one is gonna stop the Tshwane Gospel ChoirStaff Reporter

On 28 February, the Jamaican High Commission in South Africa staged a seminar to celebrate

Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence and examine the role of reggae music in the African liberation struggle.

The City of Tshwane teamed up with the Africa Institute of South Africa to host the seminar which was held at Ditsong National Cultural History Museum in the city centre. The City was represented by Cllr Faith Kgaditse, MMC for Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.

The keynote speaker was Michael ‘Ibo’ Cooper, founding member of Third World – a renowned Jamaican reggae band. He is also chairman of the board of directors of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association and recipient of the 1986 United Nations Peace Medal for work done to advance international consciousness against apartheid.

Jamaican High Commissioner to South Africa, Norma Taylor Roberts, said that the event brought together persons from all over the world to hear and document the role of reggae music in the liberation struggle in South Africa as well as many other parts of Africa.

In 2008, the Jamaican government officially declared February as Reggae Month to highlight the impact of the musical genre on the country’s social, cultural and economic development.

The day-long event featured live performances from top international and local reggae artists. These included Colbert Mukwevho and the Rasta Family from Limpopo, Jamaican-born but Durban-based Dawit Tafari and the Mediators Reggae Band of Durban, Sista Ites from Tshwane, Born Afrikan of Malawi and Carlos Djeje from Mozambique.

An exhibition of Jamaican culture and music as well as presentations from academics, and members of the diplomatic community was held.

Recently, they initiated a soup kitchen for pensioners and school children. In this programme, food hampers were also given to more than 100 pensioners and school children. Orphanages were also visited as part of their contribution to Mandela Day.

These initiatives have no provincial boundaries. With the vision being “a globally trusted brand in spiritual upliftment”, the choir is winning hearts with mature sounds and initiatives that are changing lives across South Africa.

The most notable achievement to date is being nominated in 2011 for the 4th Annual SABC Crown Gospel Awards in three categories, namely Best New Comer, Best Gospel Group and Best DVD. The choir has also been nominated for the Metro FM Music Awards for Best Urban Gospel.

“We are very excited about this recognition because it bears testimony that hard work does pay off. We trust this will also attract much-needed sponsorship to ensure sustainability,” says the choir’s spokesperson, Khomotjo Manthata.

They got another feather in their cap on Friday, 23 December 2011 when Afro Café hosted a Christmas special, honouring gospel music’s greats on SABC2. The Tshwane Gospel Choir mesmerised the Afro Café stage with their soulful Christmas melodies and original creations, sending out a clear message to the industry that they are here to stay.

But this was not their first stint on national television. They also appeared on SABC2’s Gospel Time during the Easter Sunday of 2011, where they shared the stage with gospel giants Joyous Celebration and Barorisi ba Morena.

The choir, which is continuing to make waves on the local music scene, recorded their first live DVD at Unisa’s ZK Matthews Great Hall on 13 November 2010 with the support of the City of Tshwane’s Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Department.

They have since never looked back, but has instead successfully created an alternative platform for the development of new talent from historically disadvantaged communities in Tshwane and the continent at large.

“We are proud to be recognised for and associated with developing talent in Tshwane,” said Basil Dube, the choir’s marketing and events manager.

Judging by the bold mark they have imprinted in their short journey in the gospel music industry, no one is going to stop the Tshwane Gospel Choir from going higher and higher.

City joins Jamaica in celebrationsStaff Reporter

| Page 12 | Tshwane UPDATE

The Northern Gauteng Roller Skating Association hosted a very

successful Provincial Inline Speed Skating Championship on 5 February 2012.

The championship was held at Mandela Village, Hammanskraal and the City of Tshwane assisted in making the event a huge success.

More than 60 skaters from the Hammanskraal, Roll”R”Way and Soshanguve Roller Skating Clubs competed in 34 different races ranging between 200 m and 10 km.

Skaters competed for a spot in the Northern Gauteng team. The team will participate in the 2012 South African Open Inline Speed Skating Championship at Sun City from 30

The saying that goes “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” has

proven to be a meaningful philosophy for Kobus Oeschger, who continues to do what he loves most despite experiencing a life-changing event that would have left many despondent.

Oeschger has always been an athletic soul participating in various sporting activities. As a young lad, what stood out was his love for basketball. A motorcycle accident in 1983 rendered his lower limbs immobile and left him

paraplegic. Being bound to a wheelchair would have meant the end of a dream for others, but Oeschger refused to dwell in self-pity and started basketball training with a paraplegic team in order to keep fit and to pursue his athletic dream.

Seven years into training and several local competitions later, Oeschger was chosen to participate with the national team at the Sydney Paralympic Games. Today, he has represented South Africa in countries like Canada, France, Belgium and Morocco.

“A few years ago I decided to quit basketball as it was taking a toll on my personal life; I had to sacrifice family time over weekends for training camps,” Oeschger said.

But as fate would have it, after an absence of five years, he was asked to coach the paraplegic basketball team and gradually got back into the game.

“I am now back officially and looking forward to jet off to the London Paralympic Games in August 2012.”

eKasie youngsters glide to gloryKonrad Dillman

March till 1 April. Various European and world champions will participate in the event.

Some of the stars of the day included national team members who participated in the 2011 World Championship. In the junior men’s section, the competition was tight with Tshepo Modikwe winning the 200 m as well as the open 10 km while Obakeng Boikanyo won the 1000 m race. In the senior section, Karabo Molepo dominated by winning the 200 m and the 1000 m as well as coming in third in the Open 10 km. Karabo placed eighth in the 200 m at the 2011 Junior World Championship. In the younger sections, Thabo Nyatlo won all the U/17 races and Norman Mohlala won all the U/15 races. Boy Boy Masilela continued his winning streak from last

year by winning all the U/13 boys races.

In the girls’ sections, Kgomotso Sebothoma and Xiluva Maswanganye dominated their races with the Makhasane sisters, Yvonne and Lerato, close behind them.

The 2012 Northern Gauteng team will be one of the strongest ever selected for a SA championship and the province is looking forward to great results at the SA Open. Because of the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, most of the skaters will receive new equipment before the SA championship. South African skaters will compete against skaters from at least seven other countries.

Informal skating sessions will start in April at the Kolonnade Retail Park

offering the young and old an opportunity to enjoy this wonderful sport.

There are a number of new areas where new clubs will be started and those who are interested and reside in Suurman, Attridgeville, Mamelodi and Montana or Wonderboom can phone 012 567 2229 or send an email to rssa@tiscali.co.za.

Nothing’s gonna stop OeschgerLebogang Matji

SuperSport adopts new trials methodThe SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur Academy no longer holds open trials. The Academy now scouts for potential talent at games and tournaments across South Africa.

Those who wish to be considered for trials should apply using the following procedure:

Players between the ages of 13 and16 are asked to complete a form (which is obtainable from the www.sufc.co.za website) and email, fax or post it.

On receipt of the completed form, the recruitment staff will make a decision as to whether scouts will be sent to watch the games of the aspirant players.

If the scouts feel that the players have the potential to play at the Academy level, the club managers and parents of the players will be approached and the players will be invited for the trials of the SuperSport Tottenham Hotspur Academy.

During the trial period the players will be monitored by their age group coaches and the recruitment staff. A decision will then be made and players will be informed accordingly.

Source: www.sufc.co.za

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