The Road Ahead

While political processes are unfolding, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is under the firm leadership of the Acting City Manager, Mr Johann Mettler.

In terms of the Local Government: Mu-nicipal Systems Act, a municipal council must meet within 14 days after the day on which the IEC declares the final re-sults of an election. At that meeting, a Speaker will be elected from among the members present. This process will be presided over by our Acting City Man-ager. From there, internal elections will be held, over which process the Speaker will preside. This will include the election of an Executive Mayor.

If no party obtains a majority of seats

in a council under an Executive Mayoral system, the largest political parties in the Council will try to form a coalition with other political parties or with indepen-dent Councillors in order to reach a gov-erning majority.

For such a coalition to work, it will usu-ally agree beforehand on whom to sup-port when voting for the Speaker, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor. Serious negotiations will also take place on the composition of the Mayoral Committee, as each party tries to get the best possi-ble deal for itself.

A coalition will usually also agree on the broad policy objectives of the new mu-nicipal government.

• Elections and the Road Ahead

• Minister Sisulu Reaches Out

• Perseverance Pays Off!

• With Love From Libraries

• Veterans Club

• Energy Saving Tips

• Wordsmith

Eager residents looking on while Minister Sisulu delivers her keynote address

Gelvandale Library staff with the ladies of the crafts club

Mariam Jordaan (left) and Yvonne Skinner (right) from Libraries

Editorial TeamEditor: Kupido Baron

Managing Editor: Marthie Nel

Contributors:Zee AgherdienMthubanzi MnikiSivenkosi MtiyaSiphokazi NogayaLucas OmpiPrincess Tobin-Diouf

Language Editing:Alta Meurs

Tues: 11 - 20

Wed: 11 - 21

Thurs: 11 - 20

Sun: 11 - 16

Mon: 10 - 17

Sat: 11 - 19

23 - 28 July 2016

WEATHERas per WeatherSA

In This Edition:

This week, we bring you the story of Nomathamsanqa Nkosinkulu, a Gener-al Worker within the Communications Sub-Directorate, a temporary staff work-er integrated into the permanent work-force on 1 July 2016, after three years of hard work and dedication.

Carrying the spirit of Mandela Month into the month of August, the team at the Gelvandale Library host regular arts and crafts sessions with a group of se-nior ladies from surrounding areas to stimulate them and restore their sense of belonging.

Libraries Managers, Yvonne Skinner and Mariam Jordaan, were part of the group who donated 33 pairs of gloves, 24 beanies and 2 crocheted blankets to

To help you save electricity, the NMBM Electricity and Energy Directorate has provided some tips, which should see a reduction in you electricity bills!

SAVING AT HOME• Switch off the lights when not in use

and when leaving the room.• Use low energy lamps for exterior

lighting with timer or light sensor for switching.

• Use energy saving bulbs(florescent lights), they could save you a huge amount of money and they last lon-ger than incandescent lights.

ELECTRIC STOVE• Match the size of the pot to the size

of the stove plates.• Close the lids of pots when you cook

to conserve heat and energy

Our Municipal Veteran this week is Amelia Büchner, the Director of Strate-gic Projects at EDTA (Economic Develop-ment, Tourism and Agriculture), who has been with the Municipality for 27 years. Amelia started in Town Planning, where she served for nine years, after which she served as the Director for Informal Housing for eleven years, finally moving to EDTA in her current role. Amelia’s core function is to access grant funds from National Treasury to implement strategic projects within the Metro. The funding focuses on economic infrastructure that would facilitate the development of the local economy. Aspects such as private investment and township and SMME de-velopment are among the projects Ame-lia’s office facilitates.

Which qualities made you persist and succeed in service delivery over all these years?

“I love Nelson Mandela Bay. There are no factors that would push me away.

Nomathamsanqa Nkosinkulu, fondly known as “Sis Thami” is a mother of two, but raises her late sister’s two children as well - all the more reason why this permanent employment opportunity means so much to her.

The road to permanency wasn’t always smooth sailing for Sis Thami, having faced numerous challenges as a tempo-rary staff member with personnel agen-cies who would sometimes pay her late or pay her less than her due. She is grate-ful that as a permanent employee of the Municipality, she no longer has to face these hurdles.

Sis Thami has gained major support, respect and admiration from her col-leagues, which is one of the things she loves most about her job. She attributes the accomplishment of this milestone to Marthie Nel (Managing Editor), who motivated her application for perma-nency, and to Evelyn Mbambaza (Admin-istrative Assistant), who ensured that her contract was signed by the relevant

the elderly residents of the Malabar Old Age Home, which could also be used for much-needed fundraising for the facility. The ladies from the group meet ev-ery second Thursday and are taught to produce beautiful handmade arts and crafts, handy skills that they can pass on to others.

“It is very rewarding to spend time with these ladies, because I learn about a so-cial history I was not part of. I find it very interesting to work with them and learn about their experiences” – Yvonne Skin-ner.

“It’s a rewarding project, because these ladies are all from this community and

• Try to boil only the water you need instead of boiling the full pot or ket-tle every time.

• Soak beans, samp and other dry food overnight to same time, money and several hours of electricity use.

• Try to use appropriate cooking uten-sils when cooking (i.e. use pots and pans with a flat bottom, they will consume up to 50% less electricity)

GEYSER • Insulate your geyser by wrapping

newspapers, old blankets or other insulating materials (geyser blanket) around it and hot water pipes.

• Reduce the temperature of your gey-ser to 55 degrees, so that you don’t need to add too much cold water when you shower or do the dishes.

• Switch off your geyser when not in use.

The quality of the people in the city is awesome, and it is a friendly city. It is the quality of life that has kept me here - not the money. The sense of job satisfaction, meeting deadlines and the acknowledg-ment of good work play a big role.”

What were the highlights of your ca-reer?

“The biggest satisfaction comes from seeing things you worked on being im-plemented. When I started in Town Plan-ning, we established the Master Plan for Lorraine, as well as the plans for the Pier and the area behind it. I was also very involved in the establishment of the Red Location Precinct and the Njoli Square Project. It brings me great satisfaction to see that things are moving and happen-ing.”

Biggest sacrifices?

“One of the hardest times I had was when I worked in Low-Cost Housing, attending many evening meetings and engaging with the communities. During that time, I did my Master’s Degree part-time through UNISA. I slept four hours a night, waking up at 4 am to study, go to work, conduct these evening meet-ings, come home, and start the process all over again. This went on from 1996 – 2000.”

Any funny, strange or extremely stress-ful incidents?

“A stressful time was my last years in Housing. At the time, the relationship be-tween myself and the Director was not good, creating a very tense and uncom-fortable environment. Another stressful

time was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. I was sick and felt terrible. Fortunately, my Director then was very understanding and compas-sionate, allowing me the time I needed for my operation, treatments and subse-quent recovery.”

From all your time spent in the Munici-pality, what advice do you have for your younger colleagues?

“First of all, don’t look around: you are accountable to yourself. Do your bit ev-ery day to the best of your ability, and work hard. The red tape sometimes frus-trates us. There are reasons for the red tape also, and you must carry on to get the job done. Most important is to see what positive difference you can make in other people’s lives.

What has changed in the Municipality from then until now?

“I would definitely say the technology. Back then, we worked with an archive filing system, accessing hard copy doc-umentation, when needed. These days, technology assists us with access to in-formation, which helps us to carry out our duties more effectively.”

What are some of your hobbies/inter-ests outside of work?

“I love travelling, going to the movies, playing golf, building puzzles and going for walks along the beachfront. I am also the Secretary of the Morris Club of Port Elizabeth and own a Morris vehicle my-self. With that come many exciting expe-riences and memories.”

powers. She also believes that the sup-port and encouragement of all her col-leagues in Communications is what got her where she is today.

“I am so happy and grateful for this op-portunity, and I look forward to working hard for this Municipality. Becoming per-manent will help me to maintain various commitments that I couldn’t manage before, such as sending my children to a decent school. I want to thank my col-leagues for this opportunity, with special thanks to Council for approving the in-tegration of temporary workers in Phase One.”

* You are most welcome to the team, Thami! Any employees who would like to nominate new colleagues who joined them in terms of Phase One for cover-age, please drop us a line on “Rise On-line” on Groupwise. - EDITOR

they tell us what is happening in the community, which also assists the Li-brary to understand the needs of the community so that we can fulfil those needs” – Mariam Jordaan.

Soraya Joel, Matron of the Malabar Old Age Home, graciously accepted the do-nation on behalf of the senior residents. She expressed her gratitude towards both Libraries and the ladies within the group for taking their time and effort to produce these articles, saying: “The weather is very cold lately. The older you get, the colder you get. The beanies and gloves will help keep them nice and warm when they are watching TV in the large open area we have.”

HEATING AND COOLING• Use a thermostatically controlled oil

heater to regulate the room tem-perature.

• Close the windows and doors when the heater is on and save money.

• Keep room doors closed so that air conditioners or heaters do not have to work too hard.

• Wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather.

REFRIGERATOR• Refrigerators with freezers on top

are more efficient than side by side.• Clean your refrigerator condenser

coil at least once a year• Ensure that the seals of the refriger-

ator doors are in good condition and that the door closes properly.

Minister Sisulu Reaches Out To Underprivileged Communities

Women’s Month: The official focus of South African government this year is on economic opportunities and empowerment for women. Let’s share some powerful statements by lionesses in business from all over the African Continent.

• “At every African’s heart is an entrepreneurial spirit: we are survivors of struggle, malleable enough to embrace change and celebrate doing things differently.” - Tammy Frazer founded Cape-Town-based Frazer Parfum in 2008 creating organic and natural perfume products, all handcrafted in collaboration with local artists.

• “I sold sweets to friends at school, and we would sell sandwiches and ice cream at soccer matches on weekends. So from a very early age I understood what business was about and I knew how to work with money. All the basic business principles I learned from watching my parents.” - Basetsana Kumalo is a pioneering South African entrepreneur, television personality, beauty pageant titleholder, business-woman, and philanthropist.

• “When you dream, shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars” - Emelda Mwamanga is a truly inspiring Tanzanian entrepreneur who a decade ago, without any experience in journalism, started her country’s first lifestyle publication, Bang! magazine.

• “I knew what I wanted in life and I worked day and night to achieve it, and here I am.” - Tabitha Karanja is founder & CEO of Keroche Breweries - Kenya’s monopoly and gender-busting beer brewer.

• “My advice to women all the time is: If you want a certain future, go out and create it. Conquer your fears, as that is what enslaves most women.” - Divine Ndhlukula is founder of SECURICO Security Ser-vices in Zimbabwe, and the queen of Africa’s security industry.

• “The West has taken and borrowed a lot from Africa…now it’s a renaissance: we’re claiming back what is ours and we’re adding value to what is ours, making it globally acceptable and globally appealing.” - Deola Sagoe is founder of Deola and is widely respected as the leading lady of African haute couture fashion and was the first black woman to present a collection at AltaRoma back in 2004.

• “I have learnt that if you face the challenges with positive energy, you are most likely to get better results.” - Adenike ‘Nike’ Ogunlesi is the founder of Ruff ‘n’ Tumble the leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children’s clothing in Nigeria.

Wordsmith

Perseverance Pays Off in the End

How to Save Energy

On 1 August 2016, the Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, accompanied by the leadership of the Municipality, visited underprivileged communities in the Metro to show her appreciation to all volunteers who were involved in the clean-up campaigns, especially in areas where illegal dumping was rife - in Missionvale, Uitenhage, Zinyoka and Walmer Township - throughout the year.

The Minister’s visit started in Missionvale, where hundreds of blankets were donated to the elderly residents of the community.

Thereafter, the entourage made their way to Uitenhage, where they conducted a walkabout in Ward 48, engaging with the residents, thanking them for the support shown and assuring them

that the challenges they faced would be attended to by the Department of Human Settlements and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Next on the programme were visits to Zinyoka and Walmer Township Area Q,

where numerous clean-up initiatives had created much-needed income for the residents of the community.

With Love From Libraries

Municipal Veterans Club – Amelia Buchner

Wordsmith

PROGRAMMES

& PROJECTS

OFFICIAL IN-HOUSE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF THE

NELSON MANDELA BAY MUNICIPALITY

Vol 8.2 August 2016