Tag: Pretoria East

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South Africa’s first clear-water lagoon is Pretoria’s new ‘beach’

South Africa’s first clear-water lagoon is Pretoria’s new ‘beach’

Landlocked Pretoria just got a new ‘beach’ thanks to South Africa’s first clear-water lagoon.

It took Balwin Properties two years to make history in Sub-Saharan Africa, by constructing the first ‘beach’ of its kind. The Blyde, which officially opened on 8 September, is an exclusive housing estate in Pretoria East, which features 1.5-hectare The Blyde.

Cost of construction
While it’s unlikely to replace the seasonal exodus to coastal hotspots, Pretoria’s new ‘beach’ and residential complex provides an unusual oasis for residents of The Blyde. The project, which was spearheaded in partnership with Crystal Lagoons in 2016, cost an estimated R4.2 billion to construct and is only accessible to residents of The Blyde.

While The Blyde’s lagoon is definitely the main attraction, other facilities include a restaurant, gym, spa, concierge, laundromat, and multi-purpose sports fields. Residents can enjoy swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing on the lagoon.

Environmental impact
The lagoon, which is equivalent to more than two rugby fields combined, promises to be an eco-friendly attraction. Alastair Sinclair, regional director at Crystal Lagoons, explains that the development uses less water than an average golf course, saying:

“Crystal Lagoons’ technology addresses the concerns around the use of water and the energy needed to maintain conventional swimming pools. Also, any type of water can be used – ground water, salt water and even brackish water are all suitable to fill a beach-like Lagoon.”

Water saving technology developed by scientist Fernando Fischmann, aims to reduce upkeeps costs and allow for the use of rainwater. Water evaporation has also been minimised thanks to micro-film technology.

Technology now available to other African countries
State of the art filtration systems also cut down on energy consumption, while still keeping the water crystal clear.

Sinclair states that the development is an ecological and scientific phenomenon which is just the first of many to be implemented across South Africa:

“We are delighted with the inauguration of this crystalline lagoon at the Blyde in Pretoria, as it will not only provide tremendous value to our partners, Balwin Properties, and the residents of this development, but it also means that our company’s technology is now present on all five continents.

By: The South African

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Activist group threatens to shut down Pretoria east after a previous memorandum was not taken seriously

a previous memorandum

The group claims that a previous memorandum handed to the Tshwane metro in March was not taken seriously.

A Mamelodi activist group, which recently shut down Mamelodi municipal office services for several weeks, said they will do so again – if their demands are not met, reports Pretoria East Rekord.

Oupa Mashiane, chairperson of the Mamelodi Concerned Residents for Service Delivery, made the remarks while handing over a memorandum to the metro at the local municipal offices on Monday morning.

It was the second such memorandum, he said, and “the last”.

Mashiane gave the metro seven working days to respond to demands.

“This is a serious matter – the city of Tshwane must take our demands very seriously,” said Mashiane.

Utility services MMC Darryl Moss received the memorandum on behalf of the Tshwane mayor.

He promised to meet with the mayor the same afternoon to “personally hand over the memorandum to him”

Mashiane claimed the metro did not take the group’s previous memorandum, which was handed over on March 23, seriously.

The memorandum is unchanged and contains residents’ complaints regarding service delivery.

Mashudu Maepya, who read the memorandum aloud before handing it over, said residents were generally unhappy with RDP housing fraud.

Water and electricity bills were also substantially higher and unaffordable.

The community was charged R2.40 for a one-litre bin, which was initially said to be free.

Maepya further said burial costs are higher, there is higher unemployment and more people are living below the bread-line.

“Most streets in Mamelodi are gravel roads, whereas no white areas are in this condition despite us all paying rent to the same centre,” she said.

“The drainage system is very poor, leading to flooding into yards and obstructing traffic follow.”

“Projects from the council were granted to special people who are friends with the ward councillors and not to the community. Community members who were hired are being paid slave wages.”

She concluded that the community is prepared to only pay a R40 per month flat rate until the “apartheid debts are audited”.

By: The Citizen

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Illegal land grabbers in Faerie Glen, Pretoria East became very hostile and threatened the community that they will burn down their homes and kill them

Land grabbers in Faerie Glen, Pretoria East became very hostile and threatened the community that they will burn down their homes and kill them

Dear Residents,

I just got back from an attempted land grab of Municipal Property in Faerie Glen, Plaston Str.

I arrived on site this afternoon with the community who wanted to meet with the ‘owners’ of the property after they started building and even put in an illegal water connection to this property, probably to make the construction seem more legitimate.

Unfortunately for the land grabbers, the community is very well organized and aware of the fact that this property is a Municipal Road Reserve.
I immediately contacted the MMC as well as the Chairperson of Roads & Transport from the site, who confirmed my position that no Municipal Land was sold to these ‘owners’.

I proceeded to disrupt this meeting, saying that we cannot engage with thugs grabbing land and, unless they can prove the contrary, they should leave – this prompted the land grabbers, who were very diplomatic up until then, to show their true colors and intent.

The land grabbers became very hostile and threatened the community that they will burn down their homes and kill them. There were a few shuffles between the land grabbers and the community which TMPD Officers, and later also SAPS, had to break up.

The negotiator later asked me to get the community to agree to a round table meeting during the week, only then will they leave. I told him that if they don’t leave, I will not be held responsible for any possible actions of the community.
They left within 15min thereafter, shouting that they will take the land by force.

The Tshwane Metro Police Department’s Land Invasion Unit will start cleaning the area.

I have also made contact with the Community Policing Forum, who mobilized, and security companies will patrol this area to ensure the safety of the residents.

We always think that this will not happen to us. Clearly it does, and in this case a very quiet street in Pretoria East.
The community, from all walks of life, yet again showed their calibre by mobilizing against lawlessness and sent the land grabbers leaving with, among others, a Mercedes Benz and a Range Rover.

My plea to you is:
Be vigilant.
Get involved in the CPF.
Get onto a community WhatsApp or Telegram group.
Build a personal relationship with your security company.

We can only succeed if we work together, as a community.

To the residents in the area of the land grab, well done and thank you for being active citizens!

Stay vigilant!

Best Regards,
Cllr. Ernst Botha
Ward 44

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Beloning uitgereik om inligting te bekom oor plaasmoord te Donkerhoek, oos van Pretoria

Beloning uitgereik om inligting te bekom oor plaasmoord te Donkerhoek, oos van Pretoria

Sedert die moord op ‘n hoewe op Donkerhoek, oos van Pretoria, in 2015, was daar geen vordering in die ondersoek nie, wat daartoe gelei het dat ‘n beloning nou uitgereik word in ‘n poging om meer inligting te bekom.

Op 15 November 2015, nou twee jaar gelede, is die 32-jarige Gavin Wolfswinkel vermoor, en Lucky Sithome is ook in die aanval dood. Wolfswinkel sou ‘n maand later getrou het.

Die Boschkop polisiekantoor, wat die gebied bedien waar die moord gepleeg is, was al voorheen dikwels in omstredenheid gedompel omdat lede nie hulle werk doen nie of selfs openlik rassisties teen blanke klaers optree.

Chnay Coetzer, Wolfswinkelse suster, sê die gebrek aan vordering deur die polisie met die ondersoek, het hulle as familie laat besluit om ‘n private speurder aan te stel en ‘n beloning vir bruikbare inligting uit te loof.

Lede van die publiek wat enige inligting het, kan dit deurstuur aan Chnay Coetzer by 079 522 1210. Mense is welkom om anoniem hulle inligting te deel en alle inligting sal hoogs vertroulik hanteer word.

Foto: Die vermoorde mnr. Gavin Wolfswinkel

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Pretoria bus strike action leaves commuters stranded

Pretoria bus strike action leaves commuters stranded

Workshop personnel at the C de Wet Bus Depot in Tshwane have downed tools, preventing more than 100 buses from moving off and leaving commuters stranded on Thursday.

Executive director of Tshwane Strategic Communication Selby Bokaba said the Tshwane Bus Service (TBS) was surprised by the move because they were not informed of the employees’ intentions.

Two trucks blocked the entrance to the depot.

Only three of 105 buses managed to exit before the gate was blocked.

“Bus commuters in Centurion, Olievenhoutbosch, Danville, Pretoria East and some in Lotus Gardens have been severely affected by the strike,” said Bokaba in a statement.

Bokaba added that the disgruntled personnel, which include artisans, senior operators and general workers, embarked on the strike because of overtime-related grievances and the apparent outsourcing of work to external companies.

“The City of Tshwane profusely apologises to our loyal bus commuters who have been left stranded and inconvenienced by the strike today.

“We advise them to make alternative transport plans while we are resolving the issues that led to the strike,” Bokaba said.

News24

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We’ll deal with criminals ourselves, threaten Faerie Glen residents

Pretoria – Residents of Faerie Glen in Pretoria East have threatened to take matters into their own hands to deal with an increase in crime in the area if police did not intervene.

They said the community was being held hostage by criminals after a surge in housebreakings and muggings over the past few months.

Reports of crime from the suburb and nearby Faerie Glen Nature Reserve have emerged, with the first crime inside the reserve taking place two weeks ago after a 10-year record of safety and security.

A woman was attacked while running on the trail in the reserve and all her gear, including shoes, cellphone, hydration backpack and sunglasses were taken.

Warnings began going up on social media, where trail runners were asked to be cautious and not to run on their own, as criminals, often wielding knives and wearing balaclavas, were on the prowl.

The criminals are said to gain entry into the nature reserve through Atterbury Bridge and using the Manitoba Bridge to gain access to the rest of the nature reserve and into the homes along its periphery.

20/07/2017. Manitoba bridge inside the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve which criminals use to gain accessto houses on the perifery.
Picture: Bongani Shilulbanen

Homes hit are those located on the eastern side and last week residents said they were fed up with what they perceived as a lack of police action.

“We are going to be using maximum force to protect ourselves from these thugs.”

“Extreme situations require extreme measures,” said a resident who lives opposite the nature reserve in Glenwood Street.

He said on two occasions he had spotted burglars in his yard.

“They have stolen my hose pipe and rake,” he said.

Kefentse Mompei who lives adjacent to the reserve, said criminals were now becoming arrogant and doing as they pleased. Her clothes were stolen off her washing line, she said.

She said Faerie Glen Nature Reserve opposite her residential complex provided a hiding place for criminals.

“What is sad is that a resident will end up shooting and killing the perpetrators and they will be jailed for protecting their family,” said Mompei.

Community members said they were fed up and wanted a public meeting with police as soon as possible to discuss the setting-up of foot patrols.

Other residents said despite a police station being close to their homes they no longer felt safe.

Resident Maralise Louw said they wanted to call on all men in the community to come out and assist people going to work to protect them from being attacked.

“And also for men to go to the gates of the schools to make sure children going to school do so safely,” she said.

The chairperson of the Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Louise Kritzinger, said the fences along January Masilela, Glenwood and Manitoba roads needed maintenance.

The opening under the Atterbury Bridge which criminals use to gain access to Faerie Glen Nature Reserve. Picture: Bongani Shilulbanen

 

She said the makeshift fence, made of thin wooden poles, under the Atterbury Bridge needed to be reinforced properly if it was to keep criminals out.

A bushy area situated close to the Atterbury Bridge is where the criminals lived, the Pretoria News was told.

“We are going to suggest that the metro police remove the vagrants,” Kritzinger said.

The reserve was fenced off over a period of about five years from 2002, said Kritzinger.

Residents attributed the increase in crime in the area to development on the northern side of the reserve, adjacent to Lynnwood Road.

They said builders and job seekers had flooded into the area, leading to squatting on the mountain.

According to Kritzinger, after those developments were finished some people continued to live in the bushes, but they were removed from the reserve by mounted police patrols in 2006 and 2007.

Councillor Ernst Botha from Ward 44 said he had been in constant contact with Lieutenant Colonel Kervin Solomon of Garsfontein police, requesting intervention.

A meeting had yet to be set up, he said.

“As you may have become aware, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve has recently become a hot spot for criminal elements; myself and Councillor Pieter van Heerden from Ward 46, adjacent to Ward 44, have collectively been in discussions with various stakeholders to try to curb crime in the area,” said Botha.

They have also taken it up with the top structures within the city, including the departments of Community Safety, Emergency Services and the chairperson of Community Safety.

The city and police had not responded on the soaring crime rate by late on Sunday afternoon.

BY SAKHILE NDLAZI: Pretoria News/IOL