Articles in which the Worcester Business Forum features. Mainly from the Worcester Standard, the local newspaper.	SAKEMAN BEPLEIT SAMEWERKING TUSSEN INWONERS EN SA...
Kleinhans handhaaf ’n gesonde en aktiewe lewenstyl. Hy oefen minstens vyf dae per week. Hy hou van die buitelewe en gaan gereeld met sy gesin op safari, gaan kampeer en doen diepseeduik.	WBF reports on its 2011 activities
Newspaper articles from the Worcester Standard on the annual AGM held at the Worcester Town Hall.
Please download the PDF file from the original article here. (1.7mb)
DINSDAGAAND gedink ek gaan geskiedenis maak.
Vir die eerste keer in my 32 jaar op Worcester was daar nie wyn beskikbaar by ’n funksie vir sakelui op die dorp nie. En dit nogal by die Worcester Besigheidsforum se algemene jaarvergadering in die Stadsaal.
Ons is omstreeks 19:15 gevra om van die voorportaal na die saal in te beweeg. ’n Groep verwelkom ons met tradisionele danse.
Die dekor is pragtig. Daar is wynglase by elke sitplek om die tafel.
Maar al wat daar is om die lippe mee nat te maak, is appelsap of water.
Alles lyk baie mooi, maar ek hoop die gebrek aan wyn is nie die begin van ’n nuwe tendens nie. Met sulke pragtige wyne in ons streek sal dit ’n stap agteruit wees.
Eers omstreeks 21:30 het die kos gekom. En saam daarmee twee bottels wyn per tafel.
Ons kry ’n bottel De Wet Pinotage en ’n yskoue bottel chenin blanc van dieselfde kelder. En ek spreek sommer net daar my dank uit teenoor De Wet se wynmakers, Piet le Roux, Tertius Jonck, Philip Vercuil, en ook die produsente wat die druiwe gelewer het.
Met ’n glasie wyn in die hand dink ek terug aan wat die sprekers gesê het.
’n Standbeeld van mnr. Nelson Mandela word op sy verjaardag op 18 Julie op Kerkplein onthul.
Ons uitvoerende burgemeester, mnr. Basil Kivedo, het ’n slag met woorde. Hy laat my dink aan oom Oubaas van 7deLaan. Hy het byvoorbeeld gesê potensiële beleggers kan afgeskrik word deur slaggate, vuil oop ruimtes en riool wat deur die strate vloei. “Jy kan in jou slaapkamer jou sokkies en ander onnoembare kledingstukke op die vloer gooi, maar in die openbaar moet jy sindelik wees,” het hy gesê.
Die munisipale bestuurder, Mnr. Gerrit Matthyse, het in sy toespraak gesê 80% van die probleem is opvoeding. “Inwoners moet geleer word om nie mangatdeksels te steel, klippe, seile en selfs wasmasjiene in die rioolstelsel te gooi nie. Dit lei tot blokkasies en uitgawes aan herstelwerk wat aan speelparke spandeer kon word.
Hy is egter positief oor die dorp se toekoms, veral met die beoogde ontwikkeling naby Worcester-Wes. Indien 5000 huise gebou word, kan die munisipaliteit ’n bykomende R60 miljoen per jaar aan inkomste verdien.
Met al die verwikkelings waarvan Dinsdagaand gepraat is, lyk dit of Worcester se landskap baie gaan verander. Iets om oor na te drink, dink ek, terwyl ek nog ’n glasie skink.
http://www.worcesterstandard.com/21106/news-details/worcester-kan-nog-baie-ontwikkel	WBF MAN HAS YOUTH IN MIND
“I want to continue to be a catalyst in the development of our people and to become a release agent for hope and brilliance amongst the people of Africa and to the world,” says Mr Sheraz Rayban, Vice Chairman of the Worcester Business Forum (WBF).
A born and bred Worcesterite, Rayban (48) is a man who came from humble beginnings, and even though he has and still is making a success of his life, he feels that we need to focus on the thought patterns of the youth to develop a mindset for achievement.
He claims that once we have achieved this, it will result in internal motivation towards education.
According to Rayban, this motivation and educational outcome will then facilitate the courage towards entrepreneurship.
This concept is based on his favourite quote: “Dream lofty dreams and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is a promise of who you shall one day be.”
Rayban is currently the owner of Raz Computers in Worcester, supplying technological solutions to solve educational challenges and improve the experience of learning in schools.
Raz also provides IT services and support for businesses.
He (Rayban) studied electrical engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Bellville.
Rayban serves as the convenor for the Breede Valley Economic Development Leadership Committee, which acts as a think tank to develop a road map towards economic development of the region within the next 20-30 years.
He got introduced to the Worcester Business Forum through his involvement with the Esselen Park Alumni Association for which he is the chairperson.
“Initially I was an introvert, but after being exposed to the public stage, I was forced to come out of my shell,” said Rayban.
“Now I would like to see myself as someone who brings balance and unity to challenging environments”.
The Rayban family has two children, a daughter, Fazlyn, who is currently in school completing her matric year, and a son, Zunaid, that assists with the running of the family business.
He also mentioned that he has a keen interest in muscle cars and motorbikes.
Rayban is very passionate about the education system and how it can be transformed for the sake of the youth.
“The foundation of the economy is education. This means that we need to bring about pure thought and harness the mindset of the youth through effective educational teachings, and the economic outcomes will follow automatically,” said Rayban.
According to him, to solve the economic problems we are facing and other issues such as corruption, it needs to start at the very foundation, which is in schools.
For Rayban to realise his visions and make it a reality he needs to be involved on all levels of society to make an effective change within the community.
“This is the reason why I am a part of the Business Forum, and why I am involved with schools and providing unique educational experiences through technology,” said Rayban.
Worcester Standard: http://www.worcesterstandard.com/21129/news-details/wbf-man-has-youth-in-mind	DRA VRYDAE JOU ‘EK IS WORCESTER’-T-HEMP
DIE “Ek is Worcester I am Worcester Ndiyi Vostile” is ’n T-hempveldtog geloods deur die Worcester Besigheidsforum (WBF) met die doel om eenheid in Worcester te bewerkstellig.
Volgens die WBF is Worcester vir te lank verdeel deur sosio-ekonomiese klas, ras, taal en kultuur. “Hoewel ons trots is op ons diversiteit, is dit duidelik dat die Worcester-gemeenskap nog steeds verby mekaar leef,” sê die voorsitter, mnr. Nik Wullschleger.
Die veldtog probeer om ten minste elke Vrydag ’n beeld te skep van eenheid en trots in Worcester, ons gemeenskap, ons families en in onsself.
Versoening is ’n belangrike deel van hoe ons die toekoms saam gaan aanpak, en die Worcester Besigheidsforum het dus saam met die Worcester Hoop- en Versoeningsproses te werk gegaan om ’n tweede weergawe van die T-hemp te laat druk.
Die hemde is nou te koop by De Jagers (in die middedorp en Mountain Mill Mall) en by Azure Events agter FNB (00823188032). Hulle word teen laer as kosprys verkoop vir R80 per T-hemp en R100 per gholfhemp.
Al die geld wat ingesamel word, word gedeel tussen die Versoeningsproses en die WBF om die organisasies se werk in ons gemeenskap te versterk.
Daar word tans ander “Ek is Worcester”-hemde beplan, soos Mandela Dag 18 Julie- en Loslitdag 7 September-hemde.
http://www.worcesterstandard.com/20022/news/article/dra-vrydae-jou-%E2%80%98ek-is-worcester-t-hemp AIMING TO SERVE
WITH more to life than just money and climbing up the corporate ladder, for him its more about serving the community and building personal relations with clients.
Hermias van Zyl (58), a local businessman in Worcester, ply’s his trade as an associate for BGR Jacobs and Partners, which is an auditing and chartered accounting firm.
Born in 1954 in Wellington just outside of Paarl, Hermias matriculated at Huguenot High School and then went on to study BCom Accounting.
He continued to study by doing his BCom honours and articled with an auditing firm in Cape Town.
“I managed to pass my national chartered accounting exam after the third try only. This just shows that you should never give up if you fail once,” said Van Zyl.
Hermias is a family-orientated man who has a loving wife and two children of whom have both completed their schooling careers.
The Van Zyl family moved to Worcester in 1997 and have been living here ever since.
Both his children have already moved out of the family home.
He added that he loves reading fictional novels and enjoys listening to rock and country music.
“I enjoy walking around the neighbourhood as part of my exercise. I also spend most weekends braaing with close friends of mine,” said Van Zyl.
The Van Zyl family also have a getaway destination on a small family farm they own in Vanrhynsdorp.
“This is where my family and I go to at least once every three months for a holiday. We do not live the high life, we keep it simple, but travel when we can,” said Van Zyl.
He explained that he is very passionate about helping the community.
According to him, he joined the Vryburgers (an organisation similar to Round Table) with the aim of helping people in need.
Van Zyl was also on the management committee of the former Worcester Hospice which cares for patients who have no hope of leading normal lives.
One of the major projects Van Zyl has been involved in for the past five years is the local Business Forum.
The Business Forum is a mouth-piece for businesses in Worcester, to stand together and take hands with the municipality, Worcester police, government and provincial government and help solve the big issues, said Van Zyl.
He was one of the members that were present at the forum’s founding meeting, where he was then elected as one of the first members of the management committee.
But, after all these years of hard work, Hermias still insists that he has a lot of work in him, even though he feels that he is close to retirement.
“I feel that I still have ten years in which I can still work and help serve the community and my clients. I do, however, have to start thinking of retiring,” said Van Zyl.
He went on to explain that he, together with his wife, Jomine, would like to retire to their small family farm in Vanrhynsdorp.
http://www.worcesterstandard.com/20838/news-details/aiming-to-serve	ALL SET FOR LOCAL EASTER BAZAAR
THERE are few things except rolling vineyards and a rich cultural and architectural history as innately akin to Worcester as the annual Easter Bazaar.
In past years thousands of residents and visitors from near and far flocked to the Breede Valley capital for this event on Easter Monday.
The bazaar started as a fundraising event for local churches and has grown to such an extent that traffic officials cordon off Durban Street (where the bazaar is held) for the day as it becomes a pedestrian mall.
The Worcester Business Forum (WBF) this year joins in the efforts of the Worcester Hope and Reconciliation Process in promoting unity in the town through this event. Despite its vibrant history, the Easter Bazaar tradition was only supported by one demographic of Worcester’s tapestry.
Since last year, the Hope and Reconciliation group has been carrying the message across that the celebration is meant for all Worcesterites.
The Worcester Hope and Reconciliation Process is an initiative of a group of Worcester residents representing all sectors of the community. Its purpose is to promote social justice, development, peace, reconciliation and transformation in the Breede Valley.
The chairperson of the Process, Mr Claude Schroeder, announced that, in partnership with the WBF, they would be relaunching the “I am Worcester” T-shirt campaign in support of this unifying initiative. This T-shirt is a symbol of being proudly Worcester and the shared vision of working together to make a better, more inclusive society. These T-shirts will be on sale in the Mountain Mill Mall (De Jagers) and at the bazaar (in front of the Calvyn Protestant Church).
In the meantime, Worcester is readying itself for the many visitors who are expected to flock on Monday to the traditional Easter Bazaar.	DIE SKRIF KOM TEEN DIE MUUR
VALLEIERS sal binnekort die geleentheid kry om op ’n unieke wyse hul wense vir ’n beter gemeenskap te laat hoor en hopelik verwesenlik.
Die Breedevallei Munisipaliteit en Worcester Besigheidsforum sal binnekort ’n wensmuur by openbare biblioteke op Worcester, Rawsonville, De Doorns en Touwsrivier oprig waar inwoners hul wense vir ’n beter lewe op hul dorp die lig kan laat sien. Die wense word op ’n stuk papier geskryf en op die muur geplak.
Dié projek is deel van die Breedevallei Vennootskap (’n vennootskap tussen die privaat en openbare sektore) wat ten doel staan om, met die samewerking van plaaslike regering, dorpsbestuur, dienste, beleggings en ontwikkeling in die munisipale area te bevorder.
By die aanvang van die vennootskap in 2010 het ’n deskundige mnr. Gene Lohrentz van Cape Town Partnership beklemtoon dat elke inwoner sy deel moet doen vir dié ontwikkeling.
Lohrentz het voorts gesê dat die idees vir ontwikkeling uit die gemeenskap moet kom waar areas onderbenut is en volgens die behoeftes van gemeenskapslede. Die doel is om mense in die dorp te hou en nuwe mense (besoekers) in te kry, het hy toe gesê.
Dit is met dié doel voor oë dat die wensmure opgerig word. Só beoog die Breedevallei Vennootskap om te bepaal wat die gemeenskap se verwagting en persepsie is.
Dieselfde metode van openbare deelname is suksesvol in die Stad Kaapstad toegepas met die stigting van s vennootskap.
Die plaaslike wensmure sal gedurende April in plek wees met uitslae van die opname wat in Mei in die Standard sal verskyn.
Alle inwoners word aangemoedig om hul wense bekend te maak, wat dit ookal dit mag wees.	More Articles...
SPANNING LOOP OP OOR BESLUIT OOR B’VALLEI VENNOOT...
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