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In this publication
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METRO RECEIVES A WELCOME
BOOST FROM NATIONAL BUDGET
Editorial Team
Welcome news for the City was the
billions of rands allocated to the city
by National Treasury, as announced
by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in
his much-awaited Budget speech. The
R844-million allocated to the Metro as its
equitable share of the national revenue –
R46 million more than last year – will be
a major boost for service delivery and will
advance key municipal projects, such as
the Nooitgedacht Water Scheme and the
IPTS.
Editor: Mzobanzi Jikazana
Managing Editor: Marthie Nel
Contributors:
Zikona Captain
Nande Majova
Mthubanzi Mniki
Sivenkosi Mtiya
Zonile Ndoni
Siphokazi Nogaya
Princess Tobin-Diouf
R30 million has also been allocated to
the Municipality to install electricity in
shacks, which will serve to reduce illegal
electricity connections in informal areas.
The roll-out of our IPTS and the delivery
of a safe and reliable transport system
was ensured through an allocation of
R273 million to support bus operations.
Over the next two years respectively, the
City will also receive R234 million and
R248 million, which will go a long way
towards getting the IPTS buses on our
roads, MMC for Roads and Transport,
Cllr Rano Kayser, said.
Very welcome also was the R430 million
received for the Nooitgedacht Water
Sheme, which will guarantee the City’s
water security over the medium term.
MMC for Budget and Treasury, Cllr Retief
Odendaal, said he was ‘ecstatic’ about
Metro receives a welcome boost from
national budget
SS Mendi brave commemorated
111 Metro Police members inducted!
Veterans Club
RRTT in action!
Wordsmith
Layout & Design: Sizwe Mangcotywa
WEATHER
- 8 Mar - 12 Mar 2017
as per WeatherSA
‘A fair Budget’: MMC for Budget and
Treasury, Cllr Retief Odendaal
Wed:18-27
the allocations.
Thur:16-23
The other budget allocations for the Metro
include:
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Fri:16-27
Urban settlements development
grant – R911 million;
Regional bulk infrastructure grant –
R92 million.
Infrastructure skills development
grant – R15.3-million;
Integrated city development grant –
R7.3-million.
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Sat:17-31
Sun:16-24
SS MENDI BRAVE COMMEMORATED
“It has taken us 100 years to remember
all those brave men who lost their lives
on the SS Mendi. Although it has taken
us such a long time, I am happy we
are finally doing something in their
honour,” Executive Mayor, Cllr Trollip
commented over the course of the NMBM
commemorative programme.
21 February 2017 marked 100 years
since the sinking of the SS Mendi and the
consequent drowning of over 800 men
- over 600 of those men were from the
Eastern Cape, brave soldiers on their way
to participate in World War One, fighting
for freedom and democracy.
An audience hungry for knowledge filled
the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art
Museum in Rink Street at the opening
event, followed by an eye-opening
documentary viewing called: SS Mendi
Troopship Tragedy, produced by Zwai
Mgijima, who hails from New Brighton.
Present at the documentary screening of the SS Mendi Troopship Tragedy were
Executive Mayor Athol Trollip, Prince Lusanda Ndamase, Princess Lusanda Ndamase,
Prince Mlamli Ndamase and Zwai Mgijima, the Producer of the documentary.
Commemorative activities culminated
in a wreath-laying ceremony at the
Mendi Memorial in New Brighton by
the Municipality’s MMC for Sport, Arts
and Culture, Cllr Sijadu, as well as the
descendants of some of the deceased
from the Royal House of amaMpondo in
Pondoland.
History and art lovers participated in
specially arranged educational sessions
with learners, while art and poetry
Commemorating a proud heritage: Learners at the Mendi Memorial in New Brighton
lovers had the pleasure of attending a
broad spectrum of walkabouts, poetry
workshops and documentary screenings.
111 METRO POLICE
MEMBERS INDUCTED!
MMC for Safety and Security, Cllr John Best (in dark jacket), Metro Police Chief Yolanda Faro and Safety and
Security Executive Director Linda Mti inspecting the team of newly appointed Metro Police officers.
“This is the best moment of my life!
I am passionate about policing and
helping people. I am also passionate
about this City. To be part of a team that
will make sure that the City is safe is a
huge privilege for me. I cannot wait for
my first deployment,” said an emotional
newly appointed Metro Police Constable,
Duncan Mclean.
Constable Mlean is part of a team of
more than 100 Metro Police officers,
inducted on 1 March 2017, which will help
ensure that lawlessness and ignorance of
municipal bylaws in Nelson Mandela Bay
will soon become a thing of the past.
The inducted officers will join forces with
the 45 Metro Police officers already on
the ground working with the South African
Police Services. Of the 111 Metro Police
officers, 67 are new appointments while
others were already within the municipal
employ as Security and Traffic officers.
The inducted officers are expected to hit
the ground running in areas of bylaw and
general law enforcement, under South
African Police Services Port Elizabeth
command. The Metro Police will also be
embarking on joint operations with SAPS
in a number of other focus projects.
process. We are now confident that
Nelson Mandela Bay will be a safe City
to live, work and invest in,” said Cllr Best.
Speaking at the induction, a visibly
excited Mayoral Committee Member for
Safety and Security, Cllr John Best said
the induction was a historic moment for
the City.
According to the Metro Police Chief,
Yolanda Faro, the Metro Police force will
initially focus on the areas of Bethelsdorp
and Uitenhage.
“We have waited for this day for the past
seven years. The current government,
through the Executive Mayor, Athol Trollip
made a commitment to make this project
a priority. Today we have delivered on our
commitment and in the process we have
created 67 new jobs. These jobs have
been given to people who have showed
commitment and passion about the
future of this city through all the training
In this group of Metro Police officers, 8
are Inspectors, 12 are Sergeants and the
remaining are all Constables.
“Bethelsdorp and Uitenhage will be our
focus while we will also deploy in other
areas, whenever necessary. We will also
be joining forces with the South African
Police Services when they embark on
different operations across the City. We
will continue to skill our officers in different
and latest law enforcement programmes
so that they will be capable of dealing
with any situation,” said Faro.
NMBM DISASTER MANAGEMENT
RESPECTED WORLDWIDE!
On Monday, 27 February 2017, a highlevel international delegation consisting
of scientists from Eastern Europe, headed
by Dr A Jordaan from the Free State
University, visited the NMBM Disaster
Management Centre at the South End
Fire Station.
This group of highly acclaimed
international scientists visited our
Disaster Management Centre and its
operations to witness at first hand the
disaster management function at city
level, travelling all the way to Nelson
Mandela Bay, as they regard NMBM
Disaster Management as an example of
good practice and was impressed by the
seamless integration and cooperation
between the Municipality and local
roleplayers such as the SAPS and the SA
Weather Services during disasters.
MMC Cllr John Best, who was present
during the visit, commented afterwards: “It
was a privilege to have such distinguished
guests in the city and it was inspiring to
have such people appreciating the good
work that the Municipality’s Disaster
Management Centre is doing on a day-to-
MMC for Safety and Security, Cllr John Best, addressing the international
delegation of scientists at the Disaster Management Centre, South End
day basis in combating any disaster that
might occur in the city”.
Many delegation members were experts
on water and drought issues and
accordingly met with key roleplayers in
water, both politically and administratively.
The NMBM Director of Water and
Sanitation, Barry Martin said “Water is
becoming a big problem for the city, and
finding alternative sources of water is a
possible direction that the city should
focus on. We will use this opportunity of
consulting with acclaimed scientists in
our midst who have extensive knowledge
in solving water related problems.”
VETERANS CLUB: PAM MURRAY
She started her career in the
Municipality 34 years ago on a humble
Remington typing machine. Today,
Pamela Murray, Word Processor
Operator for Corporate Services,
carries the awesome responsibility
of taking care of and collating the
minutes and agendas not only of the
Executive Management Committee,
but of Council itself!
Meet gracious and young-looking Pam.
Which qualities made you persist,
persevere and succeed in the
Municipality over all these years?
I would say that continued hard work,
dedication and perseverance, and
showing love and compassion have
enabled me to be here all these years.
Highlights of your career?
I enjoy what I’m doing! Simply being
here in the office every day, helping out
wherever I can and giving my best, is a
Pam Murray
RRTT
highlight for me.
Any funny or extremely stressful
incidents through the years?
Back in the day, we did dictation typing,
and many a good laugh was had when
the dictated words were misinterpreted
or misunderstood – especially if our
colleagues had broad accents! And yes,
adding that last item to an Agenda that is
running late can be stressful …
Any advice for younger colleagues?
Persevere in your work and be grateful for
the opportunity to be employed, because
finding work nowadays is hard.
Hobbies and interests outside work?
I have two children and recently became
a proud Granny, so spending time with
my family is important to me. I also enjoy
gardening, and playing badminton keeps
me in good health. And I plan on exploring
our beautiful country when I retire.
RAPID RESPONSE TASK TEAM
IN ACTION!
Residents who escalate urgent service
delivery problems to the level of the
Executive Mayor and the political
leadership, may soon experience the
magic effect of the Rapid Response Task
Team, located in the Office of the Mayor.
This quick-moving and fast-acting
Interdepartmental Team is deployed
to resolve the urgent or long-standing
service delivery complaints of residents
or Councillors, and to address aspects
that create a negative image of the city.
Just recently, the Team resolved the
long-standing complaint of surrounding
business owners regarding an eyesore
in the city: the dilapidated structure,
occupied by vagrants, with the usual
problems like littering and waste
associated with it, under the Albany Road
Bridge in Ward 5.
Before: An eyesore
After: Demolition in progress
The RRTT waved its magic wand - and the
pictures tell the story of yet another happy
outcome and how the RRTT demolished
this eyesore, to the relief and gratitude of
the surrounding business owners.
which residents threw human waste
into the Councillor’s Office. Although
the request to Corporate Services was
submitted after working hours, cleaning
started within half an hour – a remarkable
turnaround time even for the RRTT!
Another intervention by the RRTT followed
community protests in Ward 18, during
WORDSMITH
A gentle reminder of some basic
English grammar rules to assist staff
in memo and report writing (and in
case the kids need help with their
grammar homework)!
NUMBER AND PERSON (CONCORD)
IS/ARE
1. If the subject is singular, the verb
must be singular - The dog is barking.
If the subject is plural, the verb must
be plural - The dogs are barking.
The important rule is that the verb must
agree with its subject in number and
person, i.e. a verb must be in the same
number and person as its subject.
2. Two singular subjects joined by AND
take a plural verb – Tom and Jack
ARE brothers.
3. Two singular subjects separated by
EITHER …. OR or NEITHER ….
NOR take a singular verb – Either
Siphokazi or Sike IS coming.
When a singular noun/pronoun and
plural noun/pronoun are joined in one
sentence, the verb agrees with the
noun/pronoun nearest to it – Neither
he nor his sisterS ARE wrong.
4. A singular subject that has a phrase
with LIKE (TOGETHER WITH),
INCLUDING or AS WELL AS added
to it, takes a singular verb – Thabo,
as well as his four brothers, IS here.
5.
Some
nouns,
like
NEWS,
SERIES, FRUIT, INNINGS and
MATHEMATICS, take a singular verb
– Mathematics IS very interesting.
6.Other
nouns,
like
TROUSERS,
SCISSORS, SHORTS, PLIERS and
TONGS, take a plural verb (they are
made of two parts) – Your shorts ARE
clean; The scissors ARE blunt.
7. Words like, ANYBODY, ANYONE,
EVERYONE,
ANYTHING,
SOMETHING, NOTHING, NOBODY
and SOMEBODY take a singular verb
– Anybody IS allowed to go; Nobody
IS above the law; Nothing IS beyond
him.
8. Care must be taken when the verb
stands BEFORE the subject – On the
table ARE a pen and pencil; Resting
their case WERE two lawyers for the
defence; In her handbag WERE two
pens and some loose coins.