Robyn in action mode ready for any attack

Yes, Yes!! Another Bonteheuwel local cracks the international scene. Robyn Lakey, a grade 6 learner at Bergsig Primary School is on her way to Japan. She is graduating with a junior black belt in her karate discipline. Robyn who belongs to the Gojukai Club in Mowbray has been practicing karate since the age of 4 year. Her main inspiration is her brother Dillyn, a leading karate expert in his own right. Although excited about the prospect of going overseas, Robyn is a little anxious how she is going to raise enough money to afford this trip. “Karate have been an integral part of my young life, it has taught me discipline, respect and tolerance, and I believe this overseas trip will help me to improve as a person and hopefully I can be role model for many learners at the school when I return,” says an worried Robyn. If anyone wants to support in whatever way, they are invited to contact the school principal at Bergsig Primary School via telephone number: 021 694 4666.

International Soccer

In the 2012 version of the FA Cup Final played on Saturday (5 May), which never reached any great heights, Chelsea comfortably beat Liverpool 2 – 1 to claim their 4^th FA cup in the last 6 years. For Chelsea, goals were scored by Ramirez and Drogba with Carroll getting L’ Pool solitary goal. Although league results this past weekend offered Chelsea a glimmer of hope of securing an automatic Champions league spot, their best hope remains in the final against Bayern Munich later this month.

English Premier League

The league title will only be decided on the final day of fixtures. With only one game to go, the Blue side of Manchester is favorites with a much better goal difference. On Sunday, Manchester City overcome a stubborn Newcastle while United labour to 2- – victory over Swansea.  City last match is against relegation battlers QPR while United travel to face Sunderland. Basically all teams have something to play for in their last game, so it’s everything to play for this coming Sunday, closing another momentous season in the 20 year Premier league history.

Local soccer

Metropolitan Football District (MFD) finally kicked-off there league programme following an extended pre-season. Not for first time, Phantom Orion juniors set the pace. There junior teams from under 9, 11, 13 to 15, recorded impressive victories. Not far behind was the (top) Premier team who easily accounted for Citrus Spurs while the 1^st side battle to an uninspiring draw against Sporting United. Two other clubs who can be satisfied on the opening day are Bluegum United and perennial slow starters Sea Point Swifts. For the rest of the clubs, Goulburn Athletic, Everton, and Golden Gate, a lot of hard work lies ahead and it could become a long season if they don’t improve on this past weekend’s showing. Most disappointing was Citrus Spurs, who under the tutelage of Shukkier Kannemeyer, promise much following impressive pre-season form, but falter badly when it matter most. Chairperson Wayne Weitz and his executive team deserves a huge accolade with the way things run on the day, which can only bode well for the rest of the season.

This weekend main fixture is the clash between Everton and Bluegum United. A number of Bluegum’s players have switch allegiance in the off season, which mean they can expect a hostile reception from there previous teammates. Leading the way is veteran goalkeeper Sedick Valentine, following the premature retirement of Kenneth Meredith and long term injury to Reggie Jacobs. For Bluegum, players to watch is goal poacher Mike Lesar and rock solid centre-back Ashraff Adriaanse, who will have his work cut out against leading scorer Kashief Buckton. Senior referee Shahied George have been appointed to handle this potential explosive fixture. It’s certainly not a game for the faint-hearted as all roads in Bonteheuwel on Saturday will lead towards the Metropolitan fields. Watch this space!!

Horse racing

If the KRA Fillies Guineas and KRA Guineas are anything to by, the KZN Champions season is set for a blockbuster. Over the coming months, more champions will make an appearance are gearing towards the Big one, the Durban July. Early favorite for the July, Jackson, run a commendable second in the Guineas to enhance his chances. We in the Western Cape will hold thumbs for this son of Dynasty, himself a former winner of this prestigious race. Other Cape trainers, who have horses in Durban, have made an encouraging start to there KZN campaign.

Front desk at new St.Elmo's, Promenade, Mitchells Plain

New St. Elmo’s Mitchells Plain store offers consumers the ultimate in unique restaurant dining experience. At a glittering launch held on Wednesday 18 April, the Halaal St.Elmo’s hosted several high profile celebrity and influential business people. Well position at the Promenade’s Food Court, the restaurant offers the entire family succulent pizzas to choose from.

Amy Biehl

Eighty four Amy Biehl Foundation learners enjoyed a fun filled day in Green Point Park on Tuesday 27 March courtesy of local residents, Horst and Rita Boes. Assisted by dedicated Amy Biehl Foundation staff and volunteers, the day was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by all. With activities including Frisbee, golf, hula-hooping, egg runs, face painting and many more, the youngsters were certainly not short on entertainment. A nutritional breakfast was offered upon arrival, followed by lunch and snacks later in the day.

The Amy Biehl Foundation specialises in after school care programmes for youngsters living in challenged and vulnerable communities within the Western Cape. Teaching them essential skills for their future including literacy, numeracy, HIV/AIDS prevention, sport, music, dance and many more, programmes are also designed to keep the children off the streets and away from the negative influences that are so easily accessible to them. Events such as this are designed for school holidays to take the youngsters out of their communities and keep them focused and positive, even when the schools are closed.

Spine Road High School Mitchells Plain Computer Lab Grade12 learners Vodacom Millionares

Vodacom Millionaires donates computer lab and internet connectivity to Mitchells Plain School

Mondale High School in the Western Cape celebrated its 30^th anniversary. The school had more than one reason to celebrate as it received fully equipped computer lab and internet connectivity from Vodacom Millionaires. Situated in the Cape Flats, Mondale High School enjoys a reputation of excellence in sports and academic studies. The Western Cape Province achieved a pass rate of over 82% in 2011 which made the province the top performing in the country.

“The excellent results in the Western Cape Province indicate that there have been great strides in improving the quality of education in this province. However, we aim and hope to further enhance the education system, not only in the Western Cape, but country wide by offering ICT solutions. The power of the internet is invaluable and connectivity has the potential to transform education and accelerate economic and job growth in this country,” said Suraya Hamdulay, Executive Head of Corporate Citizenship.

Schools in far flung areas are often hampered by lack of ICT resources. Studies have shown that a 10% increase in internet access adds 1.3% to a country’s GDP growth and Vodacom is committed to helping develop this opportunity to grow the economy and improve the lives of all South Africans.  “We are very excited to be recipients of this computer lab which will enhance our learning systems and improve the quality of teaching. Today we also celebrate our 30^th anniversary and we celebrate improvements made from where we were. We are grateful for the support from Vodacom Millionaires,” comments Mr Bridgens, Mondale High School Principal.

This Vodacom Millionaire’s initiative, now in its sixth year running, supports public schools throughout the country to upgrade the quality of education by ensuring that teachers have access to the highest quality in teaching resources. To date Vodacom Millionaires has donated 250 computer labs all over the country. “We encourage schools that are currently without a computer lab to contact us for the forms and apply,” says Hamdulay.

The computer centres comprises of 21 laptops (20 for students and one for teacher); a server; a printer and cartridges and 4 WebBoxes with LCD Screens. All teachers will receive training and educational software.  In addition to the Mondale High School, other schools who benefitted from the Vodacom Millionaires programme and received computer centres this month are Tatello Special School – Free State; Nonhlevu Secondary – KZN and Groutville High School – Stanger, KZN

Bridgetown Theatre Group cast members finalizing their lines

Theatre is alive and well and living in Cape Town!! Come and see the pen being stronger than the sword by being part of the audience of the new Bridgetown Theater Company (BTC) play CHALK! CHALK which is staged on Friday 27 April and Saturday 28 April at 8.00pm at the Nassau Theatre, Campground Road, Newlands-next to the Newlands Cricket Ground.

CHALK centred around a principled senior teacher who learns that his erstwhile friend and fellow junior teacher, intends to change his longstanding teaching methods in defiance of his autocratic instructions, and that he intend having a relationship with a student- who happens to be his beloved daughter, in order to force him to behave in an ill-discipline manner, thus disqualifying him from becoming the new school principal? Does he allow his friend and teacher to gets his way?

CHALK is an innovative and groundbreaking play not to be missed because it is magical realism at its best. CHALK is produced by Ernest Samuels and written and directed by Theo.E.Davids

Price R50. For tickets and more information please contact Ernest Samuels @ 082 6990708

James Darling in his element on the guitar

Lovers of guitar music are in for a treat in April, when the South African College of Music at UCT will be hosting a three concert guitar series entitled Magnum Opus, presented by Stringwise Records.

The three concerts feature three internationally renowned artists; Italian virtuoso and pedagogue Giuseppe Maria Ficara, 2004 GFA Competition winner and Naxos recording artist Goran Krivokapic and South Africa’s own leading guitar maestro and Head of Classical Guitar Studies at UCT James Grace, who is also coordinating the series.

The concert dates are:             Wednesday 4^th April – Giuseppe Maria Ficara

                                                Wednesday 18^th April – Goran Krivokapic

                                                Wednesday 25^th April – James Grace

All concerts take place in the Chrisholm Recital Room (C7) at the South African College of Music at UCT (opposite the Baxter Theatre) at 8.15pm. Tickets are R80 / R50 per concert (including wine). To book call 072 434 0345, or email info@jamesgrace.co.za / www.jamesgrace.co.za

After losing in the quarter final of the Nedbank Cup, Santos got evrything to play for. Facing relegation after a dismal last few games, they now need to win at least all there home games and hope some other results go their way. Santos come up against Supersport United, another  goal shy team though their confidence would have been boosted when they booked a spot in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals. Games come thich and fast this time of the season, and there’s no let up, as after Wednesday, Santos play title-chasing Kaizer Chiefs on Sunady at Athlone Stadium. The partisan Cape supporters are urged to turn up in numbers to boost the local team.

Absa announces a first-to-market cash back deal on personal loans. Absa announced today that it will award customers who maintain good payment records an automatic 1% refund of the original loan value every year through its Personal Loan Cash Back offer. The offer, which is a first in South African banking, gives borrowers an added incentive to be responsible in their attitude towards repayment, thereby reducing their overall cost of borrowing.

Arrie Rautenbach, Absa’s Head of Retail Markets, says that the repayment incentive was not only a way of thanking customers for choosing Absa, but was ultimately designed to reward borrowers for being responsible in the management of their loans. “If a customer is conscientious enough to remain up-to-date with their loan repayments, then we want to recognise that and give something back,” explains Rautenbach.

“One of the repayment incentives would also be to reduce overall loan costs for responsible customers. This will certainly assist our customers in the current challenging economic climate,” he adds. The Absa Personal Loan Cash Back benefit will be available to the bank’s Personal and Micro Loan customers with a loan term of 12 months or more.

Absa customers will be entitled to receive the cash back payment reward on the anniversary of the initial loan payout date. The customer’s loan account must be paid up-to-date at the time of the cash back payout and will automatically be credited back into their loan account.

“Being an Absa customer is now even more rewarding with the Absa Personal Loan Cash Back offer. We want to meet the personal lending needs of customers and complement our existing transaction-based cash reward that are offered through the Absa Rewards programme,” says Rautenbach.

“Incentives such as these are aligned to our focus on the customer,” adds Rautenbach. Customers who wish to take advantage of the Absa Personal Loan Cash Back benefit can visit any Absa branch, visit www.absa.co.za or call the Absa Customer Care Centre on 0860 100 372 for details.

*BY PUBLIC DEMAND*

After the phenomenal successful performance of Bridgetown Theatre Company (BTC) original and hilariously funny comedy called “Four weddings en n’ Janaazah,” “(Four wedding and a funeral) at the Bellville Civic Theatre in February 2012, there has been a public outcry for the comedy to be re-staged. It will reappear at the prestigious Artscape Theatre complex from the 6-9 June 2012.

In addition BTC has been afforded the amazing opportunity to performing “Moves” at the world renowned Grahamstown National Arts festival from the 29 June to 9 July 2012. As part of BTC ongoing policy of “not promising to make their performers rich and famous but to provide them with a platform and opportunity to exhibit their talents BTC will be performing their original drama  “CHALK” and the spectacular Dance and Music Extravaganza at the Nassau Theatre from the 27-28 April 2012.

Recently, Theo.E.Davids artistic director of BTC, when congratulating the BTC performers on the success of “Four weddings en n’ Janaazah” and “Moves” for being invited to be performed at Artscape and the Grahamstown National Arts Festival said, “That if you as a performer become bigger than your talent, you shouldn’t be in show business. Always let your talent speaks for you and remains humble and you will be destined for greatness because your role as a performer is to entertain, educate and make the audience experience magical realism.”

“Four weddings en n’ Janaazah”  stars : Fowzia Khan; Kim Jansen; Ilaam Ockards, Sharifah Wagner; Wardah Petersen; Shamiel Rorich; Shireen Hendricks; Amy Du Plooy; Megan Booysen; Anrea Scott; Jeandre Davids, Riedwaan Damon; Jarred Davids. It is written by Cassiem Abrahams, choreographed by Lydia Johnson, Produced by Miriam Bux, Directed by Riedwaan Damon and Executive Produced by Theo.E.Davids

For more information contact Theo Davids @ 082 536 3651 or Ernest Samuels @ 082 6990702 or onto Bridgetown Theatre Company FaceBook.