Professional Documents
Culture Documents
30 August 2013
L o n g T o m P a s s , s p ri n g 2 0 1 3 . P h o t o : C h ri s C o l v erd
Afrikaans, ek s 5
GPS News
GPS News 22 Main Road, Sabie Tel: 01 3 764 31 27 Fax: 086 57 43454 Facebook: gpsnews Twitter: @editorKemp Editorial/Advertising: Valerie Kemp, tel: 083 565 9458 E-mail: editor@gpsnews.co.za Reporters: Christine Roussouw (Sabie, Pilgrims): 079 233 4801 Gerda van den Bos (Graskop): 083 324 7254 Graphic design: Sydney Mashele Editing and layout: Pedrie Roberts
As sure as the spring comes along every September for us in South Africa, so your spring in your life will come. Just hold on... to Him!
S o c ia l Ca le n d a r Sosiale Kalender
Let us know about any events for placement in the Social Calendar. It is free!
Every Friday at 20:00 @ Canimambo: drumming circle and drinks special.
1 September
Spring day. Official change of season from winter to spring in South Africa.
1 September
Arbor Day: a day on which trees are planted and emphasis is placed on the importance they play in the circle of life.
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Frans Pretorius en Jeanette Stry dom het n 42 jaar besluit om te trou. Ds. Wil lem Breytenbach van die Her vormde kerk Sabie het hulle op 1 Augustus op n baie priva te seremonie in die huwelik bevestig.
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4 September
7 September 7 September
Mountain biking: Das Auto MTB Series 4, White River. Sabie VLU high tea. R50 p.p. Limited tickets available. Contact: Annette on 082 298 1 939 or Elize on 079 573 6038.
1 2 September
Graskop-VLU se maandelikse vergadering en werksessie. 1 8:00 by Villa Nerita. Kontak: Eduard by 072 687 8322.
1 4 September
1 3 &1 4 September
Graskop business strategy seminar in cooperation with the AHI. Contact: Babsie on 082 888 4261 .
Spur Schools MTB Finals. Contact: Mark Meyer on 082 338 9532. Public holiday: Heritage Day. Danie Botha-konsert by Panorama Secondary School in Graskop ten bate van Fanie Stoltz-aftreeoord en Panorama-skool. Kontak: Maria by 01 3 767 1 093.
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Golden ticket
for local
B
Gerda van den Bos
renden Ledwaba is one of the competitors in this years SA Idols competition... and he is from Graskop! He had the audience and the judges spellbound with his perform ance of Miguels Adorn, for which he received a resounding yes from all three judges at the Gauteng au ditions. His performance has earned him a golden ticket to the next stage of the competition the theater week at Sun City. It has also made him instantly famous. Search his name on Google or Facebook and you will find hun dreds of messages from fans all over the country. When the programme was broadcasted, his Twitter follow ers skyrocketed from just over 100 to over 1 300 by the time the pro gramme ended. Brenden is just 19, but he has
Idol
been a musician since the age of six, when he joined the church choir. Apart from singing he also plays keyboard, bass guitar and drums and he is currently studying sound and music engineering at Emendy Sound and Music Technologies in Pretoria. His father, Past. Phineas Ledwaba of the local Christ for Life church, says Brenden and his brother had a band, called Soulfenda, while he was still a learner at Sybrand van Niekerk High School in Sabie. He performed at various clubs and gigs over the years and his repertoire spans most of the music genres. Brenden also writes, composes and produces his own music. Ledwaba says he and his wife, Debrah, are very proud of their tal ented son and says Brenden is not just doing it for himself or their family, but also for Graskop and to put Mpumalanga back on the map.
Brenden Ledwaba has progressed to the next stage of SA Idols 2013. Photo supplied by Past. Phineas Ledwaba
GPS News
FAME
G
Gerda van den Bos
raskop has one of Mpuma langas first green buildings. Panorama Secondary Schools new school hall takes this honour as it is built from recycled material from the steel construc tion right down to the insulation. The school obtained a hangar in 2006 and then commenced to save money to convert the hangar into a school hall. It took them six years before they had enough to build the hall, but they managed it with flying colours. Principal Rachel Jacobs said they saved a lot by having a register for the photocopy machine and by using both sides of the paper. A couple of years ago, they heard that Safcol was computerising its administra tion systems and was about to throw away all its ringbinder files. Mrs Jacobs and her team gathered all those old files and are still using them today. Empty Xray boxes are used to store magazine articles in the schools library and used Xrays are transformed into shapes to aid in the science and maths classes. Lumari Faber, the schools librari an, makes holders from empty longlife milk cartons and all the in dex cards and the learners library cards are made from old posters. The library is wellstocked with books, none of it bought. They ob tained the books from other schools that didnt want it anymore and from people who wanted to get rid of old encyclopedias and books. The school has a fullyequipped science laboratory. All the apparatus were bought secondhand when they heard of a private school that was closing down. Whenever possible they fix plumbing and other main tenance problems themselves. In one case, they realised that 13 of the schools toilets had to be replaced as they couldnt obtain spare parts for that particular model. Lumari's hus band came to the rescue and with clever construction managed to get all the toilets in working order again for only R300. When the designing phase for the
HALL
Panoramas
OF
With the frames up, the building started to look like a hall. school hall commenced, it made sense to build an environmentally friendly building. The hall was built with recycled steel from Australia and ecofriendly magnesium oxide boards from China. As an environ mentallyfriendly building material, magnesium board has strength and resistance due to very strong bonds between magnesium and oxygen atoms that form the magnesium ox ide molecules. Magnesium boards are used in place of traditional gypsum drywall as wall and ceiling covering material and sheathing (source: Wikipedia). Even the insulation is environ mentallyfriendly, as Isotherm was used. Isotherm Thermal Insulation is made from the thermallybonded polyester of recycled plastic PET bottles. It is environmentally friendly, nonallergic and resilient (www.isotherm.co.za). According to the Southern African Light Steel Building Associations website, this type of construction is called light steel frame building and consists of structural wall frames and roof trusses, manufactured from coldformed light gauge galvanised steel sections. All the frames were premanufactured and numbered before being transported to site. Mrs Jacobs said it looked like a huge Meccano set. Construction commenced in Feb ruary last year and by the end of the year, the school was proud to have their awards function in their own school hall. Panorama Secondary School is a prime example of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. Well done and keep up the good work.
GPS News
Kyla Smit van Horskool Sybrand van Niekerk as die lappop in die opvoering van die ou Afrikaanse liedjie.
Afrikaans! ek s
Christine Rossouw
14 Augustus was nasionale Afrikaans Dag en Laerskool Sabie het dit ordent lik gevier! Dit was die vyfde keer dat di plaaslike laerskool die dag gevier het, en leerlinge van gr. 4 tot 7 het n program propvol pret en opvoeding ge niet. Marietjie Brits, wat Afrikaans en Engels aan die skool onderrig en ook die koor afrig, het ges die amptelike stryd om die bevordering van die Afri kaanse taal is 138 jaar oud. Arnoldus Pannevis, wat as n vader van die Afri kaanse stryd beskou is, het saam met n groep geleerde vriende die Genoot skap van Regte Afrikaners (GRA) in 1875 gestig. In daardie tyd was Afri kaans nie n amptelike taal nie. Daar was ook nog nie boeke in Afrikaans nie, maar die GRA het die waarde van die jong taal besef en om die erken ning daarvan begin veg. Die genootskap het Die Afrikaanse Patriot, die eerste Afrikaanse koerant, gestig en in Afrikaans begin publiseer. Vroeg in die 20ste eeu het C.J. Lan genhoven, n joernalis van Oudts hoorn, die GRA se werk verder gevoer en deur sy toedoen is Afrikaans in die parlement begin gebruik. Die eerste Afrikaanse vertaling van die Bybel het in 1933 verskyn. Dit is belangrik vir ons as skool om die dag te vier en om die kinders daar aan te herinner dat hulle dit moet ge niet om Afrikaans te wees, te lees en te praat. Dit is n kosbare taal, het Marietjie ges. Die program het met n opvoering van die klassieke Afrikaanse kinder liedjie Eks n dapper muis begin. Dit is gevolg deur n gesprek met Lana Coetzee, n Afrikaanse onderwyser wat in Dubai woon, oor die renwoude in SuidAmerika en die Afrikaanse gemeenskap wat al meer as 100 jaar in die Pentagoniastreek in Argentini woon en steeds Afrikaans praat. Coetzee het vertel dat sowat 800 Boergesinne tussen 1903 en 1909 per skip na Pentagonia getrek het. Di gesinne het in die Tweede Vryheids oorlog van 1899 tot 1902 erg gely en baie se plase en huise is heeltemal deur die Britte vernietig. In 1909 het die Afrikanergemeen skap in Argentini uit 3 000 mense bestaan. Dit het egter deur die jare afgeneem en daar is vandag net om trent 30 mense in Argentini oor wat die taal suiwer praat. N die baie interessante gesprek het die leerlinge n opvoering van Die lappop geniet voordat hulle die fees afgerond het met die Afrikaanse koek wat spesiaal vir die dag gebak is.
mists and deep soils, the Blyde quartzite grassland is an ideal breed ing site for the blue swallow. But these characteristics also make it ideal for commercial timber planta tions. And locally, as has happened nationwide in such ecosystems, forests of pine, gum and wattle now cover huge areas of former habitat for these rare birds. According to Dr. Ian Little of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the
disappearance and disturbance of the blue swallows habitat is a primary reason for the rapid decline in the numbers of birds. Four known re gional populations of blue swallow have already gone extinct in South Africa in the past decade, Little says. The South African population now consists of fewer than 38 known breeding pairs. It is with this in mind that the Graskop Conservancy is dedicated to
protecting and conserving the local breeding ground of the swallows by clearing the grassland areas sur rounding the town of alien vegetation, and addressing any other environ mental or industrial factors that could have a detrimental effect on the eco system. Esme Kopke of the Graskop Con servancy says it is important that loc als are aware of the blue swallow, its dwindling numbers and the need for the grasslands that make up the birds habitat to be respected and protected. Everyone can do their part by keeping the grasslands free of pollution and alien vegetation. Remember that change starts with you, in the way it takes one small pebble to start an avalanche.
GPS News
GPS News
Trashion spectacular
I
Christine Rossouw
t is said that one mans trash is an other mans treasure, but on 15 August, Sybrand van Niekerk High School showed that ones man trash can be anothers haute couture. Seven budding young designers from the high school took their ingenious clothing designs, constructed completely from waste, to the catwalk during the schools 2013 Trashion Show. Trashion is a term coined in New Zea land in 2004 for jewellery, clothing or dcor made entirely from trash, and Sy brands seven trashion designers showed that they are truly masters of this unique craft. The show had a little twist to it. While the models were important for showcas ing the designs, it was actually the designs themselves that were under the spotlight. And the audience would only see who the designers behind the designs were at the conclusion of the show. The judges Nadia Vincent, an ac complished designer and student at XELA Fashion College and Design Stu dio, established fashion designer Philip Oosthuizen and personal potential de velopment coach and 2010 Miss South Africa finalist Amanda C had a diffi cult task ahead of them as everyone of the designs on display was spectacular. The trashion show kicked off with the Fun and Funky category. These outfits were made for the imagination and were true catwalk concoctions. As MC Willie White so aptly put it: You will not be doing your grocery shopping in one of these outfits anytime soon! While the models changed into their formal trashion gowns, An van Rooyen dazzled the audience with her skills on the piano, and a couple of Sybrands matrics modelled the outfits worn at this years matric farewell. With the showcase of the designers formal gowns, the difficulty of the judges task really hit home. Each design was breathtaking, creative and ingenious in its own way. But there could only be one winner, and after careful deliberation, Amri Burger was crowned the 2013 Trashion Designer of the year. Laura Makhubedu took second place, and the two budding designers each received some fantastic prizes. The school, staff and pupils who made the evening possible did a superb job, and GPS News is looking forward to next years trashion show!
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Winning designer Amri Burger and her model, Bianca Theunissen, with judges Amanda C, Nadia Vincent and Philip Oosthuizen.
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Ntombifuthi Ngwenya, victim support coordinator at the Sabie Victim Empowerment Centre. cases and 8 cases of domestic viol ence, and last year with 22 rape cases and 12 cases of domestic viol ence. This year to date, domestic vi olence cases have reached an alarming number, with 21 cases already reported, as well as 14 rape cases. Through victim support we want to continue to help every victim to access services available to them. We regularly conduct awareness campaigns to ensure that the public understands the matters that are affecting them so that they can be protected and educated. Further more, we plead with people who are being abused to stand up and report such crimes, said Ngwenya. The centre is a first point of per sonal contact for a victim where she/he receives care, counselling and rehabilitation for about three days. When the empowerment pro gramme is completed, the victim is discharged or transferred to a rel evant facility. On the day of the victims arrival he/she is given a victim care pack, which contains toiletries, under wear and a special teddy bear. Community members are invited to donate the items that are in cluded in the care pack to help the centre to provide for the survivors of rape and domestic violence. The centre also needs more volunteers. Volunteers have to have matric, and training will be provided. For de tails contact Ngwenya on 083 688 5004 or 013 164 1211.
Police officials, members of Working on Fire and some of the community members who received food parcels and blankets. police officials from the cluster, com munity policing forum (CPF) members and members of the Graskop Business and Tourism Forum, volunteers from Working on Fire worked hard to get the soil ready for the new seeds. Ly denburg Cluster Commander Col. Putter said: You have everything, from the seeds to the fertilizer, as well as healthy, red soil make a success of the garden. The SAPS in Graskop, headed by its Womens Network team, made use of the opportunity to hand out blankets and food parcels to several needy families in town. Capt. T. Maphanga, Station Commander in Graskop, thanked the local businesses and po lice members for contributing towards the food parcels.
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Die skool s: Baie geluk aan al ons atlete ons is baie trots op julle. Ons wil baie dankie s aan Castle Rock en Komatiland Forests dat ons weer jul roete en geriewe kon gebruik het. Baie dankie ook aan Suzaan Pieterse en haar span van die skool wat die dag moontlik gemaak het, en aan elke per soon wat gehelp het.
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Spring is natures way of saying: Lets party! Robin Williams
WORD SEARCH
BLOEDRIVIER FAIRYLAND RICHARDSON HUGENOTE VOORTREKKER OORWINNING LEIBNITZ EEUFEES CLAREDON PRESIDENT MONUMENT HOOF JORDAAN CHURCH BOTHA
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GPS News
AGE?
T
W ho s a f r a i d o f t he b i g b a d
Age is not all bad, writes Sharon Mandy
hey say love is a many splen did thing well, let me tell you, age is a many sneaky thing in more ways than one. It just creeps up, like a cat does to a mouse, and it is just as menacing. And it is so sneaky one can never really define the day one became old. One just wakes up one day and real ises that one hasnt woken up for a long time without some sort of dull ache somewhere about ones person. The other day I went out to a braai with my daughter and we stayed later than intended. We had decided beforehand that we would have a day at the mall the next day. The next day, my daughter breezed cheerily into my room far too cheerily for my liking. Morning, she said happily. Blaagh, I answered well on re flection, it may not exactly have been blaagh it may have been arrrnn or something similar, but the point is, I did not feel like boun cing out of bed and dancing to the magic of the new day. I knew that age had extended its evil hand and had me in its clawlike grip.
I am in Pretoria this week as I have been sent on a course and al though I am really enjoying learn ing and facing up to different chal lenges, by the afternoon I really feel the continual concentration is get ting to me, and as I follow along in the manual and we reach the bottom of the page, I feel that my eyes are somewhat heavier than they should be and they, of their own accord (and this is another age thing: certain body parts seem to have a life of
their own and refuse to cooperate it is like having a builtin teenager) are very happy looking down at the bottom of the page, and they do not want to rise to look at the top of the next page. This is when our in structor suggests another quick break, as some of us seem to be looking at the floor a lot. Age is not all bad, however, there
are definite advantages. When one drops something in a room full of people, someone is bound to pick it up for one, and when every seat is taken at a gathering, someone is sure to stand up and ac tually argue with one until one is obliged to sit down. One can have great fun pretending not to hear bothersome people, and when one forgets something, it is indulgently put down to old age. I used to be in trouble about it when I was young. So there you are: life is still beau tiful, it just hasnt got as much bounce in it as it once had!
Smalls
House for sale Spacious double storey home for sale. Mount Anderson. Stand 1 900m. Top floor: 200m, 3 bed, 2 bath, study, open plan. Ground floor: flat 1 20 m. Garage: 1 08m. Any reasonable offer to be considered. 082 444 8534.
Sudoku: The objective is to fill the 9x9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 33 subgrids that compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9.
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Michelle Prinsloo van Laerskool Sabie s sy is positief en hardwerkend.
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Matla Pest Services CEO Amos Sibuyi sponsored Sybrand van Nie kerk High Schools first and second netball teams with jackets. Coach Helena du Plessis said the girls were very thankful and proud of their new jackets, and that kind sponsors, like Sibuyi, warm their hearts.
The runnerup was Thlanganani Forestry. From left: Lorraine Helberg, Albert Fourie, Mandy Fourie and Brendan Benade with Anne Coetzee.
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Michael Kidson from Pretoria, Ronel Swart from Africa Silks in Graskop and Issy Zimmerman from Johannesburg just before the start of the fi nal stage on Sunday 11 August. Ronel has been part of the event since it was but a mere dream. Today it is a 150cyclist strong reality.