NEWSPage 4 26 February 2010

CELO BUTHELEZI

THE Municipality’s plans toencourage communityfarming in eThekwinireceived a boost with thelaunch of a soybean initiativeat the City Hall recently.

The Agriculture Unit hostedthe event, with speeches bysoybean expert DrShanmugasundaran, andPeter Golbitz, Director ofInternational BusinessDevelopment at the Canada-based natural foodproduction company,SunOpta, which recently

opened an office in Durban. Derrick Naidoo, Deputy

City Manager Procurementand Infrastructure, said, “TheMunicipality has been asupporter of people startingfood gardens and this projectprovides individuals andcommunities with theopportunity to feedthemselves and to begin theirown business.”

Deputy Mayor LogieNaidoo, who chairs theMunicipality’s EconomicDevelopment Committee,encouraged people to takeadvantage of soybean trade

opportunities. “The newairport and the Dube TradePort are infrastructurecompanies can use to growtheir businesses and exportthis product,” Naidoo said.

Some 20 communitygardens are participating inthe Municipality’s soybeanproject and others wanting tojoin are encouraged tocontact the AgribusinessUnit. Project ExecutiveAkhona Ngcobo said, “Peoplecan contact us and get moreinformation on growingseasons and training.”

buthelezicelo@durban.gov.za

DERRICK DLAMINI

INFORMAL traders in down-town Durban are sharpeningtheir skills in garment designand machining, thanks to aMunicipal training project.

The traders are also learningbusiness skills, including man-agement, marketing and pric-ing strategies as part of theinitiative by the iTrump AreaBased Management.

Michael Hlangu, of the Busi-ness Support and MarketsUnit, said the training was freeof charge and took place overthree month at the BrookStreet Training Centre.

Hlangu said, “Our aim hasalways been to empower thissector and to help them grow.

“Training includes basic

skills development classes,including marketing andmanagement. This enablestraders to administer theirfinancial affairs and operatetheir businesses successfully,”said Hlangu.

He said most of the traineestrade on pavements and atkiosks in Warwick Triangle.

He said the initiative hadbeen a “huge success”.

Working with the Muni-cipality on the project isKhanya Skills Training, whichis part of the Institute for BlackResearchers.

Khanya Skills Manager RhaDube said, “Trainees receivecertificates at a mass grad-uation at the end of each year.Most have opened their ownbusinesses, using skills they

have gained.” One suchsuccess story is ThembisileMthembu of Siyanda, nearKwaMashu.

The 46-year-old singlemother of three said her lifelooked set to change for thebetter thanks to the training.

“When I first came here Ihad no clue about manage-ment or business-relatedmatters. However, after sometime here, attending literacyclasses, my outlook altered.

“I’m looking forward tograsping more knowledge andreturning to my neighbour-hood to open a small trainingcentre for women.

“The training is valuable andwe thank the Municipality forits support,” Mthembu said.

dlaminisd@durban.gov.za

SEW FAR SO GOOD: Thembisile Mthembu is among many traders benefiting fromiTrump training Picture: DERRICK DLAMINI

Training changes livesFacelift for Tongaat CBD

DERRICK DLAMINI

SIX entrepreneurs and com-munity workers, winners ofthe 2009 Mayor’s Awards,received laptop computersand R10 000 each.

The winners were chosen ina number of categories in-cluding community develop-ment, clean environment,crime prevention and emer-ging entrepreneurs.

Engen sponsored the lap-tops, complete with software,and Standard Bank donatedthe cash.

Engen has been associatedwith the awards for the past 11years and has contributedR500 000 in computer spon-sorship over the period.

Deputy Mayor Logie Nai-doo, on behalf of Mayor Obed

Mlaba, commended Engenfor its “commitment to com-munity development”.

He said Engen’s support hadhelped change many lives.

Opportunities Naidoo encouraged the

winners to seize World Cupopportunities.

“Ensure you welcome ourvisitors. Treat them well sothey return and help createmore jobs for your busi-nesses,” said Naidoo.

Ray Damon of Engen saidthe partnership with theMayor’s Awards had grown inleaps and bounds.

“Initially, we contributedwith tables and banners, butlater we thought we should gothe extra mile, and started

giving away computers. “In the past three years,

we’ve changed that and arenow giving away laptops tothe winners,” Damon said.

Thembi Shabalala, a com-munity worker from Umlaziand one of the winners, saidthe laptop would help her tobecome better organised.

“Laptops look more pro-fessional, especially when wego out to meet clients.

“I’ll be able to organise andarchive my work properly,especially important recordsand financial statements. Weare so grateful to Municipalityand Engen,” she said.

Fifty-year-old Shabalalastarted her communitydevelopment activities in2003.

dlaminisd@durban.gov.za

Great prizes inMayor’s Awards

EMMANUEL KLEINBOOI

THE second generation ofeThekwini’s Integrated Dev-elopment Plan (IDP) is nowundergoing its final reviewand the public will be invitedto participate in this on datesstill to be announced.

Meanwhile, a dedicatedteam charged with compilingand coordination the IDP hasbeen established within theCooperate Policy Unit.

The Municipal Systems Act(2000) requires municipalitiesto compile an IDP.

Puven Akkiah, Senior Man-ager with the Corporate PolicyUnit, said, “The IDP is an all-encompassing plan whichprovides the framework fordevelopment within a muni-cipality. It aims to co-ordinatethe work of local and otherspheres of government incoherent plans to improve thequality of life for all the peopleliving in the area.

“It provides the frameworkfor the provision of infrastruc-ture, services and economicand social development.”

The IDP is reviewed yearly to

inculcate a democraticapproach to local governanceby ensuring all stakeholdersget an opportunity to voicetheir opinions in influencingthe shape, form, direction andpace of development in theirlocalities.

In a recent assessment, MECfor Local Government andTraditional Affairs NomsaDube complimented eThek-wini on the quality of its IDP.

Should you have any queriesrelating to the IDP, call them at031 311 4264.

kleinbooie@durban.gov.za

THEMBA KHUMALO

POOR pupils at KhulugqamePrimary School in KwaDabekarecently received uniformsand shoes, donated by theTruevine Community Church.

The church is based in Ward20, Clermont, and area Coun-cillor Sifiso Zungu praised theTruevine congregation fortheir efforts.

It was the second year in arow that the church has dona-ted uniforms to Khulugqamepupils.

Zungu said, “We are gratefulto Truevine for giving back tothe community. We hopeother people will follow thisgood example.

“We want to express ourgratitude, especially to theMpontshana family for theirefforts in uplifting our com-munity,” he said.

Truevine Pastor Musa Mpo-ntshana said, “This is part ofthe church’s outreach project.We met the ward councillor asa church and discussed waysin which we could give back tothe community – this is part of it.

“We are involved in other

projects with the help of thecouncillor and schools.

“We also sponsor kids whoare studying further and otherinitiatives,” he said

Khulugqame Primaryteachers drew up a list of 59needy children and submittedit to Truevine.

School Deputy PrincipalThanda Mchunu said, “Someare orphans, while others arebeing brought up by theirgrannies, using pensionmoney.

“We live with these children

and know them so it is easy toidentify the needy ones. Wealso interviewed their fam-ilies, because sometimes youfind both parents are notworking and we then have totry to help,” she said.

Thokozile Madondo, a 72-year-old pensioner, said, “It ishard to look after thesechildren as the pensionmoney is often not enough. Iam grateful to the church andthe Councillor for the won-derful work they have done.”

khumalotk@durban.gov.za

GUGU MDLALOSE and MUSA MTHALANE

THE Tongaat CBD is to get amajor facelift thanks to aMunicipal-backed R2.5-mill-ion project aimed at gettingthe town ready for 2010.

The first signs of dev-elopment are already takingshape in the Tongaat towncentre, between GannieStreet and Watson Highway.

The project includes re-placing paving alongwalkways, installing handrails, installing bollards andconverting stairs to rampedpedestrian walkways.

Ward 61 Councillor Michael

Abrahim said the develop-ment was long overdue andcame as work was nearingcompletion on the nearbyKing uShaka Airport.

Attractive“We have poured R2.5-mill-

ion into the CBD renewal soour town can be attractiveand tourists can enjoy thefacilities,” said Abrahim

The airport, which is due toopen in May is expected tobring economic spin-offs andcreate job opportunities inthe Tongaat area.

The airport lies betweenTongaat and La Mercy and

will be able to handle fourmillion passengers a year, aswell as cargo.

Abrahim said 3 400 houseswould be built in Mbhayi,Gwala and Belvedere toreplace informal settlementsand create jobs and businessopportunities for locals.

The project is due forcompletion next year.

“Informal settlements willbe a thing of the past.

“There are also 160 unitsbeing upgraded from rentalstock which we are preparingto give to people to take fullownership,” said Abrahim.

mdlaloseg@durban.gov.zamthalanemusa@durban.gov.za

Soybean opportunities grow

IDP undergoing final review

A FRIEND IN NEED: Truevine Community ChurchPastor Musa Mpontshana, his wife Sibongile andCouncillor Sifiso Zungu with two of the children whoreceived school uniforms from the church, FaneleMadondo (Grade 2) and Andile Dlamini (Grade 3)

Picture: THEMBA KHUMALO

Churchhelpschildren