Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Spot Coverage >> 16-31 May 2006
Exploration activities have commenced at the Lace Diamond Mine, 22 km north of Kroonstad on the Viljoenskroon road, after the necessary permission has been obtained from the Dept. of Minerals & Energy.
Over the next two years, Lace Diamond Mines will conduct detailed exploration activities to assess the feasibility of re-commencing diamond mining operations at the mine. Diamond mining operations commenced in 1902 and continued intermittently until 1931. During this period approximately 4,45 million tons of kimberlite was mined and treated, yielding more than 700 000 carats of diamonds.
Lace Diamond Mines is owned 74% by Diamondcorp PLC of the UK, 13 % each by BEE groups Shanduka Resources and Sphere Holdings.
Although the exploration operations are expected to be low key as far as creation of employment is concerned, the investment will no doubt serve as some boost to the local economy. It is also known that De Beers plans to open a diamond mine near Kroonstad, on the Vredefort road, and this could lend further impetus to the local economy.
The presence of diamond deposits in the Kroonstad region is believed to be one of the results of the tremendous historic impact of the Vredefort Dome meteorite.
Earlier this year De Beers, as the world's leading diamond producer, stated that it increased its rough-diamond output in 2005 to nearly 49-million carats – a record for the group. De Beers is expecting diamond sales to grow at least 10% over the next five years.
“Violence, intimidation and carnage”. Those are the words security employer organisations SSEO, SANSEA, SAIDSA, SIASA and WECSA used in a joint media statement issued recently, to describe SATAWU members' actions during the prolonged eight-month security industry strike.
They stated that the industry strike has been marred by an unacceptable level of these negative elements, for which they believe SATAWU must be held directly accountable.
Says a concerned Douw Raimondo, operations director of Defensor Security, Bloemfontein : “Staff members belonging to the union and who did not wish to participate in the strike, have been randomly attacked and their clothes torn from their bodies. They constantly receive threat calls from striking union members and on several occasions company property has been damaged.”
According to Raimondo not only did the company suffer severe economic losses due to damages incurred, it also lost considerable clientele. “The criminal element involved in the strike has put fear in customers. We no longer receive requests for quotations from potential clients and we have already lost several clients, who switched to electronic security instead.”
He says given this fact, the strike places serious constraints on job creation. He categorically stated that the employer organisations are not against the pay increase for workers, but feel it should be conducted “in such a way that we are able to keep our doors open and keep on providing employment.”
On the photo, an employee of Defensor Security as he was assaulted and his uniform torn from his body by SATAWU members because he was doing duty. His face has been concealed on the photo for fear of further intimidation.
The latest trend of establishing supermarkets in Township areas could be highly beneficial to such previously disadvantaged areas, with a range of both direct and indirect social-economic spin-offs. This is the view of Free State Finance MEC, Mr. Phi Makgoe as expressed to the Free State Business Bulletin.
According to Makgoe, professional supermarkets in Township areas would mean amongst others that streets must be tarred for shoppers and suppliers, leading in turn to an increase in property values, both commercial and domestic, more petrol stations to cater for the growing transportation to the area, etc.
Makgoe said small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME's) in the township are starting to upgrade and adjust to the changing environment by diversifying their business to that which is currently booming, such as construction, guest houses and good night clubs. Others such as home industries are now bringing their business to town - catering on tender. There have also been many new entrants to the market of black consultant services.
A benefactor from Spain, Mr. Mark Blomfield of the Cessna Aircraft Company, has donated a new racing bicycle to help establish a Bethulie youth development team as well as prize money for aspiring youngsters in the forthcoming Around Lake !Gariep Cycle Race on Saturday 20 May, 2006.
On the photo right, one of the development riders, Klaas Rigert, with the new bicycle, together with Frances le Roux, Chairperson of the Bethulie Cycling Club.
The event is to benefit the local community by inter alia the sale of local arts and crafts, food and other stalls. This will also benefit local church projects and hospices, while it will also mean employment of additional staff in various businesses such as shops, accommodation establishments, restaurants, etc.
For more info, contact Manuela Thurman at 082 877 7782.
To be held this year from 13 – 20 May, National Science Week offers abundant opportunities for everybody down to grassroots level interested in the application of science to get involved, either by inputs or education.
For the local region, a packed week of activities has been arranged involving for the first time collaboration between the University of the Free State (UFS), the National Museum and the Free State National Botanical Garden in Bloemfontein. There will also be innovative contributions from the Research Institute for Education Planning at the School of Education, the Boyden Science Centre and various departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences of the UFS. The Air Force base at Bloemspruit and the Mangaung Fire Brigade Museum will also host Science Week activities.
For more info on the Week's programme and also how other regions in the Free State can get involved, contact Dr. Matie Hoffman at (051) 401 2924 or Thea Barnard at (051) 436 3530 or 083 303 9986.
Aspects to be covered include meeting your client and building a relationship; effective counseling and developing a care plan; promoting lasting change; time management; creativity; hands-on stress management; diabesity; type talk; and 'good' foods, 'bad' foods.
The registration fee is R495.
For more information, contact Ronette Lategan at nutrition.md@mail.uovs.ac.za.
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