Calls for more blood donations
The Western Cape Blood Transfusion Service on Friday said while its stocks are adequate at the moment, they need to be regularly replenished throughout the festive season.
It has enough blood for the next four days.
The services Liandi le Roux said, “It could be better. In blood donation terms when we reach a five to seven day stock it is ideal. When we reach two days it is critical. We are hovering in between. More donations would always be appreciated.”
SA fuel shortages to last for weeks
Johannesburg - Fuel shortages at petrol stations in inland provinces will probably last until around the third week in January, the energy department said on Friday.
By then the supply backlog would have been addressed, spokesperson Johannes Mokobane said in a statement.
"The department wishes to assure all concerned that it is in daily consultation with the oil companies that are responsible for supplying fuel to the market, and has requested them to submit their contingency plans."
The government had noted that the periodic "fuel availability challenges" indicated an urgent need for additional refining capacity, along with improvements in import infrastructure for liquid fuels.
"In this respect government has commenced work toward the development of medium-long term policy frameworks and plans to alleviate the current problems experienced."
Mokobane urged motorists to fill up regularly and avoid driving at high speeds, which led to higher fuel consumption.
Fuel company Total blamed technical repairs for the shortage.
"The shortage is as a result of an unforeseen technical problem experienced at the Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) facility off the Durban coast, which resulted in the SBM facility, which allows for the transportation of crude oil, being closed for repairs," the company said, without indicating when supply would be normalised.
Resting camps set up for drivers
Community safety officials in Gauteng have set up rest camps for motorists who would be travelling long distances this weekend.
Driver fatigue was highlighted as a major cause of road accidents this festive season.
Gauteng community safety spokesperson Thapelo Moiloa said the camps were in three different areas.
“There are in Moloto Road in Pretoria, the N14 in Diepsloot and the N3. These camps are manned by Gauteng metro police,” he said.
Mosselbaai: Lui asseblief klokke
MOSSELBAAI NUUS - "Lui asseblief u kerkklokke om middernag wanneer die Ou Jaar eindig, en die Nuwe Jaar begin". Die Uitvoerende Burgemeester, Raadsdame Marie Ferreira, versoek alle kerke in die groter Mosselbaai omgewing om aan hierdie versoek gehoor te gee.
"Deur middel van die gelui van kerkklokke om middernag kan ons afskeid neem van 2011 en 2012 op gepaste wyse binne gaan. Kerkklokke se gebeier kan ver gehoor word, en ek kan beswaarlik aan ‘n meer luisterryke en gepaste manier dink om die Nuwe Jaar aan te kondig.
"Ek doen daarom ‘n beroep op alle kerke om hulle kerkklokke op Oujaarsaand om middernag te lui. Ek het reeds verskeie kerke per e-pos versoek om hul klokke te lui, maar omdat ek nie oor almal se e-pos adresse beskik nie, nooi ek alle kerke ook op hierdie manier om betrokke te raak," het Raadsdame Ferreira gesê.
Volgens die Burgemeester het die Nasionale Hawe-owerheid reeds ingestem om die mis-horing in die hawe ook in te span om die Nuwe Jaar aan te kondig.
NSRI Beach Run and Surf Ski around the corner
MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The NSRI 5km and 10km Beach Run will take place for the 11th time on Monday, 2 January 2012. For the second year a Surf Ski event over approx 8km will also take place at the same time.
Sponsored by Tekkie Town and New Balance, who put up R10 000 in prizes, this event is expected to again attract many participants.
The event takes place on Diaz Beach, starting at 16:00 - this is at low tide. The out and back run will take runners along the beach to Hartenbos and back. This is an "off road" event so the normal road running rules of club colours and licensing requirements will not apply.
The entry fee for the 10km is R30 and R20 for the 5km. The first 150 finishers on the 5km and 250 on the 10km will all receive a newly designed medal.
Participants in the surf ski pay an entry fee of R30, with the first 50 finishers all receiving a medal. High quality goody bags will also be given to the first 400 entrants for the race. Entries will be taken from 14:00 in the Diaz Beach parking lot on race day. Boerewors rolls at R10 each will also be on sale.
Everybody has a chance at being declared the winner and being in line for the New Balance running shoes and apparel up for grabs. Participants may not use ether a watch or any form of time keeping device. Finishing times are predicted on the entry forms, with the winners being those who actually finish closest to the times predicted!
Safety is paramount and the NSRI first aiders will be available to look after the interests of all participants. The gross proceeds of race day will go towards the support of the local NSRI Station 15.
"Let's support this worthy cause in great numbers which is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Tekkie Town and New Balance." For more info on the event contact Des Harris 083 309 8732 or Dawie Zwiegelaar 082 990 5954.
Shell reopens fuel depot
Shell SA said its Alberton depot in Johannesburg had been reopened.
They expect this to ease the sporadic fuel shortages experienced in Gauteng in the past few weeks.
Several other areas in the Free State and Mpumalanga were also running dry.
Shell's Elton Fortuin said they would try to clear the delivery backlog this coming weekend.
He said normal delivery services from the depot should start to improve in other regions like Mpumalanga.
MOSSELBAAI NUUS - Dit mag dalk nog te vroeg wees om te sê, maar alle aanduidings wys op ‘n uitstekende somerseisoen vir Mosselbaai.
"Die besoekers is hier in hul massas," sê Mosselbaai Toerisme se Marcia Holm, "en dit lyk asof ons lede baie min akkommodasie beskikbaar het."
Sy sê dat sy nie verras is dat die dorp een van Suid-Afrika se mees gewilde vakansiebestemmings geword het nie. "Dit is die gevolg van drie dinge: eerstens, Mosselbaai is ‘n ongelooflike, skilderagtige bestemming wat regdeur die jaar uitstekende weer geniet; tweedens, dit is waarskynlik die enigste plek op die kus waar enigiemand seefront-akkommodasie kan vind - maak nie saak hoe groot of klein sy begroting mag wees nie; en derdens (en waarskynlik die belangrikste), dit bied ‘n byna ongeëwenaarde verskeidenheid besienswaardighede en dinge om te doen."
Aangesien dit meer as 60 km sand-strand en die skoon waters van die Indiese Oseaan bied, sê me Holm, is Mosselbaai se strande die grootste aantrekking.
"Belangrik soos dit mag wees, ‘n besoek aan Mosselbaai is egter nie net oor die strande nie: hierdie dorp is veral ryk aan kultuur, en is geseën met ongewone en sensitiewe berg-, fynbos- en kus-omgewings wat steeds baie goed onderhou word."
Sy sê dat Mosselbaai Toerisme ‘n ‘Things To Do’-brosjure gepubliseer het om dit vir besoekers maklik te maak om attraksies waarvan hulle hou te vind - en om hulle vakansies daarom te beplan.
"Die brosjure is met kleure op ‘n kaart gekodeer sodat die gebruiker kan sien watter aktiwiteite in watter areas van die dorp en omgewing plaasvind.
"Om die volledige Mosselbaai-ervaring te kry, is dit noodsaaklik om die Outeniqua-berge te verken, in die fynbos te gaan bergfiets ry, in een van die mooiste val-sones in die land valskerm te spring, met grootwithaaie te duik, op ons riwwe te snorkel of duik, of om die seile te span op soek na walvisse en ons plaaslike dolfyne.
"Jy moet ook die Cape St Blaize-grot besoek om oor ons vroegste voorgeslagte te leer; jy moet op die skip in die Maritieme-museum van die Dias-museumkompleks gaan om te sien hoe Bartolomeu Dias en sy manne sou geleef het gedurende hulle ontdekkingsreise in die 1480’s; en jy moet die ATKV-Hartenbos-museum oor die Groot Trek besoek om te sien hoe die voorvaders van die Afrikaanse nasie noordwaarts beweeg het tydens die middel van die 1800’s.
"Jy sal ook ‘n bietjie teater moet geniet, inkopies doen, gholf speel en - veral as jy ‘n ma is - ‘n bietjie bederf word by een van ons professionele spa’s of skoonheidsalonne.
"En, indien jy ‘n kind (‘n klein of volgroeide een) is, sal jy moet tyd spandeer om Afrika se innemende natuurlewe in ons verskeidenheid wild- en natuurreservate te ervaar," sê sy.
"En dan, natuurlik, wanneer jy heeltemal uitgeput is, sal jy moet teruggaan strand toe vir ‘n welverdiende rus.
"Mosselbaai het so baie om in die seisoen en regdeur die jaar te bied - dit is juis daarom dat ons dit Suid-Afrika se ‘Doen-Dinge’-be-stemming noem," sê me Holm.
Kry ‘n gedrukte ‘Things To Do’-brosjure by Mosselbaai Toerisme (hoek van Kerk- en Markstrate, oorkant die ingang van die Dias-museumkompleks), of laai dit van die internet af by:
Meer inligting: www.visitmosselbay.co.za en www.facebook.com/visit mosselbay
Posted by SAWDIS at 12/24/2011 06:23:00 AM