Hansa Powerade Dusi 2009 preparations going well 

Natal canoe club, the organisers of the worlds biggest canoe marathon, the Hansa Powerade Dusi report that all is going well with preparations for the event in January.

 ‘We are on track and very happy with the way things are going at the moment" said Ray De Vries spokesman for the organisers.

 "Our initial concerns were water quality, water quantity and the water Hyacinth in the rivers. We are very happy with the water quality at the moment. Compared to last year it has improved dramatically with far fewer paddlers reporting the dreaded Dusi guts whilst training in the River. We also have a pharmaceutical company that has a vaccine against bacteria and cholera as an added precaution. Full details of this will be available on www.dusi.co.za shortly. 

The Umsumdusi municipality have a special task force to handle any sewer breaks and they will be on full alert during the season as many paddlers come down to KZN to practice for the race. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) are already working in the River to get rid of the Hyacinth and will carry on through the rest of December and January with crop sprayers and boat crews. Healthy rains have ensured that there is more water in the River system now then there was at the same time last year which bodes well for water releases from Umgeni Water.

The organisers are confident that the dam will be 100% come January. Our security teams have already met with the provincial SAPS and, as usual, we are receiving great support from them" said de Vries. Nearly 1800 paddlers are expected to enter the race which takes place on January 15, 16 and 17 from Pietermaritzburg to Durban with two overnight stops, the first at Dusi Bridge below Cato Ridge and the second at the Msinsi resort at Inanda Dam. The race finishes at Blue Lagoon in Durban.

 One of the great features of this epic event is the charity angle. Over R600,000 was raised for the SPCA, Starfish and DUCT and the organisers expect this to be a larger figure in 2009. An online auction will be held the top 60 bids received who will start in a special batch each day -- approximately 35 minutes after the seeded batch. 

Details on the online auction as well as online entries are available at www.dusi.co.za 

Senwes wys wen-entrepreneur vir laerskole aan 

Danie Jacobs van Laerskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein is aangewys as die wen-entrepreneur in die laerskole-afdeling van Senwes se jaarlikse entrepreneurs-kompetisie. Sy wen-idee is om kinders weer aan die speel te kry en behels die bemarking van tradisionele speletjies, soos kennetjie, in sakkies.  

Danie het R5 000 losgeslaan met dié blink idee. In die tweede plek was Candice Storm en vennote, wat prysgeld van R3 000 gewen het, met hul idee om kindergesiggies in te kleur voor partytjies. Rudo Peens, verlede jaar se wenner, het vanjaar die derde plek verower met sy gebottelde water en die verkoop van vuurmaakhout. Hy het R2 000 gewen.  

Tydens die ontbyt, wat by die Universiteit van die Vrystaat in Bloemfontein gehou is, is die hoërskoolfinaliste ook aangewys. Hierdie vyf finaliste het elkeen R1 500 ontvang om hul besigheidsidee te implementeer en sal hul finansiële state tot 31 Maart 2009, vir finale beoordeling inhandig. 

Die vyf hoërskoolfinaliste is: Peet Pretorius (Eendrag CVO, Heilbron), Marlo Peens en vennote (Hoërskool Sand du Plessis, Bloemfontein), Johlitha Esterhuizen (Hoërskool Fichardtpark, Bloemfontein), Elizna en Anina Keeve (Kroonstad Akademie) en Zanelle Pretorius (Hoërskool Fichardtpark).  

Pieter Esterhuysen (Hoofbestuurder: Senwes Grainlink) het as hoofspreker met die jong entrepreneurs gesels en ook sy definisie van entrepreneurskap met hulle gedeel. “Entrepreneurskap is 'n vermoë wat aan jou toevertrou word om jou hulpbronne optimaal te kan benut,” het hy gesê. 

Senwes se entrepreneurskompetisie bestaan uit twee afdelings, 'n laerskole-afdeling en hoërskole-afdeling, en dit word in twee fases aangebied. Die eerste fase sluit die voorlê van 'n besigheidsplan en 'n onderhoud waar vrae oor die besigheidsplanne gevra word, in. Die besigheidsplanne word deur die Universiteit van die Vrystaat se Fakulteit Ekonomiese- en Bestuurswetenskappe geëvalueer. Aan die einde van die eerste fase word die wenner van die laerskole-afdeling aangewys en die finaliste van die hoërskole-afdeling aangekondig. Die hoërskool-finaliste dring dan deur tot die tweede fase van die kompetisie, waar hul elkeen   R1 500 ontvang om hul besigheidsplan te implementeer.  

Hoërskool Sentraal het tydens die funksie 'n R12 500 koopbewys ontvang in 'n gelukkige trekking. Laerskool Jim Fouché en Hoërskool Fichardtpark het, as die laerskool en hoërskool met die meeste inskrywings, R10 000 elk ontvang. 

CLOSING OF MUNICIPAL OFFICES

 Notice is hereby given that all Municipal Offices in Matlosana will be closed for the public on Friday 12 December 2008 at 13:00 due to the holding of the Year End Function that will be converged with the recognition of the Long Service Awards.

Any emergencies should be reported at 018 464 8020

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