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NEWS Page 2 14 April 2009 GUGU MDLALOSE A GROUP of women entre- preneurs, backed by the eThekwini Transport Auth- ority, has opened a car wash in Sydney Road. The car wash is the latest business venture from Women Behind The Wheel, a company that offers services to the taxi and transport industries, including tyre sales and fitment, wheel balancing and alignment, suspension repairs, spray painting, styling and graphic design. The group comprises 50 members from the five taxi regions in KwaZulu-Natal. Many of the women are widows and orphans. “It is not easy for us as women to be in the taxi industry. But with the assis- tance of the eThekwini Trans- port Authority, we have overcome some of the obsta- cles,” said Women Behind The Wheel member, Ncane Novuleka, at the launch of the car wash last week. Authority Head Victor Bal- oyi commended the group for their bravery in taking on a male dominated industry. “Women Behind The Wheel has set a good example for other women,” he said. [email protected] Women take wheel at the car wash SIPHOKAZI NTSHANGASE CITY Health is doing its bit to tackle the scourge of child mortality. It recently joined forces with the Provincial Health Department and a number of private companies to host an education cam- paign for new mothers. Hundreds of mothers and grandmothers attended Mom and Baby Edu-shows held at Welbedacht near Chatsworth, uMlazi, Hammarsdale, Kwa- Mashu, Tongaat, Illovo and Inanda recently. They were aimed at mothers and care givers from disad- vantaged communities who do not have easy access to health services. Show co-ordinator Khanyi Mjwara said South Africa had one of the highest rates of mortality for children under six. Mothers were shown how breastfeeding and immuni- sation could help prevent their babies from dying. Nurses from the KwaZulu- Natal Health Department stressed the importance of taking good care of children and ensuring they were tested for HIV/Aids. Khaya Ngwane, of City Health, said if mothers did not report abuse of their children for fear of embarrassment they could be jailed along with the abusers. Children whose parents had brought their clinic cards were immunised on the day. [email protected] Child deaths tackled KEN MCHUNU THE eThekwini Transport Authority and Metro Police are busy accrediting the city’s metered taxis in a drive to ensure uniform standards. “This process will allow metered taxi operators to offer passengers a higher level of service by adhering to certain minimum stand- ards,” said the authority’s Nathi Sibisi. The navy blue accreditation sticker used for the past two years will be replaced by a green shaded sticker with a navy blue boundary and soccer balls depicting the build-up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Sibisi said a unique number would appear prominently on the sticker, and would be used as reference for pass- engers who wished to com- plain to the transport author- ity, or pass on a compliment about a taxi. “This new sticker will be stuck on the body of the vehicle and will be valid for one year,” said Sibisi. To qualify for accreditation, metered taxi operators need to ensure their vehicle has a valid certificate of road- worthiness; has a specified operating rank or private base; displays the company name, address and telephone number; is dent free with no rust holes; and is generally clean and tidy. Taxis must also have a permanent, fitted roof light; no torn seats; clean, hole- free carpets; a sealed taxi meter with the tariff displayed; no dim or tinted windows; tyres in good working condition; an emergency triangle; a spare wheel; a fire exting- uisher; and public liability insurance. “Once all metered taxis are accredited, passengers, par- ticularly tourists, should feel safe and be assured of a comfortable journey in a roadworthy vehicle.” The first round of the accreditation process was run at the beginning of February. Accreditation is done every first Tuesday of the month from 9am to 11 am at the eThekwini Transport Auth- ority buildings opposite the Pavilion Hotel in KE Masinga (Old Fort) Road. For more details, call Nathi Sibisi at 031 311 7495 or e- mail [email protected] . [email protected] Metered taxis get 2010 seal A SOD turning ceremony was held recently to launch the R275-million Mpumalanga New Town Centre development project. The project is being funded by the private sector and the national Treasury, through its Neighbourhood Development Grant initiative. It will serve the greater Mpumalanga area, including Mpumalanga Township, Ntshongweni, Georgedale, Sankontshe, Mophela, Malangeni, Mini Town, and the Hammarsdale industrial hub. The area is home to about 130 000 people, many of whom are poor and unemployed. At the launch were Andile Mafu and Debby Kippen of ERIS Property, Mayor Obed Mlaba, and Councillors Velile Lutyeku, Judah Shabalala, Fanie Moyo, and Nigel Gumede Picture: JESSIE SINGH A Good Turn SOHANA SINGH THE Business Support and Markets Unit and the Supply Chain Management Depart- ment have signed an agree- ment to strengthen relations and foster growth and dev- elopment of small, medium and micro enterprises. The partnership will pro- mote learning for SMMEs so they can access finance, busi- ness management support, mentorship and other skills. The Head of the Business Support and Markets Unit, Philip Sithole, said: “All too often we come across service providers who cannot deliver to the demands of the muni- cipality and big businesses. “We have decided that rather than deleting SMMEs who have not performed to our expectations from the database, we will instead offer to train and mentor them. “This will hopefully address their challenges and improve their skills so that they become more successful.” ❏ Workshops are planned for the dates listed below to give suppliers information on tender opportunities. For more information, call 031 311 7153. Area Ward Date Wiggins, Bonela, Chesterville 29 30 April Congella, Albert Park, Esplanade, Maydon Wharf 32 7 May Thandolwesizwe/ Lindelani, Richmond Farm 38 29 May KwaMashu E, F, & G 46 12 June Ntshungwane/Newtown 54 30 June Amatikwe/Phola Mission, Etafuleni 56 9 July Cottonlands/Tongaat CBD, Wastonia 61 30 July Shallcross, Chatsworth 71 6 August Umlazi S&V/Glebelands 76 27 August Umlazi F&G 79 10 September Durban North, Glenashley, Virginia, Umngeni 36 8 October Phoenix Industrial, Greenbury, Stoneridge 48 29 October Queensburgh, Malvern, Ethembeni, Ekuthuleni 63 12 November Chatsworth, Moorton, Arena Park, Welbedacht 72 30 November Tender workshops (provisional dates) Support for suppliers Parks promise more verge cutting DRIVEN: Victor Baloyi, of the eThekwini Transport Authority, opens a women-run car wash business THE Cato Manor Area Based Management will be hosting an afternoon of performance and visual arts at Chesterville Main Stadium, 61 Mahlathi Road, on Saturday, 18 April, from 1pm. The event, which will include arts and craft, music, theatre, dance, and poetry , will give artists an oppor- tunity to network. It will also promote the area as a tourist destination. Providing entertainment will be Cato Manor born musician Madala Kunene, as well as the Umkhumbane Ensemble. The play Native Blues, which recently enjoyed a successful showing at the Catalina Theatre, will be staged. Gospel artist Hlengive Mhlaba will be in attendance, and the younger generation can dance to the tunes of DJ Siyanda. Refreshments will be on sale. – Sohana Singh Arts bash in Cato Manor KHAYA SENGANI THE City’s Parks, Leisure and Cemeteries Department is stepping up its maintenance of verges and cutting back of overgrown vegetation. Funding has been set aside to increase maintenance cycles to seven times a year. Christo Swart, Deputy Head of Parks, Leisure and Cem- eteries, said that in the past, verges had been cut three times during the growing season, but already in the 2008/2009 financial year, the service in most areas had been improved to seven cuts. Grass cutting was usually done from September to May, with about six weeks between each cycle. “Our subtropical climate plays a major role in the fast growth of grass in eThekwini and the high rainfall this summer has resulted in a lower productivity levels due to the excessive moisture and heat experienced,” said Swart. Apart from aesthetic con- siderations, verges need to be kept under control so they do not obscure the view for motorist and pedestrians. Apart from more frequent cutting, Swart said the City was looking at getting better results by using improved equipment and more effic- ient weed spraying of pave- ments and gutters. “We have employed coop- eratives to remove sand and litter from gutters and pave- ments, improving the grass cutting service and creating jobs,” he said. Maintenance of parks and open spaces had suffered too because of the rains, said Swart, but the problem was being attended to, and the department was looking at allocating additional mach- inery and employing staff to fill vacant posts. Swart said the public was welcome to address concerns or complaints to the depart- ment at [email protected] . [email protected]
