West Rand mayor's 'state of the district' address

Councillor Mpho Nawa, Executive Mayor of the West Rand District Municipality (WDRM - which includes Munsieville) gave a 'state of the district' address recently, discussing some of the key achievements from the last year. His speech covered the delivery of basic community services, health and social development, as well as goals for the future. Some of the main points were:
• Approximately 30 000 permanent housing units have been constructed in the West Rand District since 1994, at an average rate of approximately 2 000 units per year. This number excludes serviced stands with no permanent structure.
• WRDM is currently refurbishing street lights with energy-saving globes and installing high mast lights in townships.
• Provision of four health clinic containers (one per municipality).
• Purchase of medical equipment and linen for all clinics.
• Purchase of 28 immunisation fridges for all clinics that are open five days or more per week.
• The annual target of 196 826 people tested for HIV/ Aids per year is being achieved.
• 117 youths from Zenzele, Zuurbekom, Rietvallei 1, Magaliesburg, Munsieville and Mohlakeng were trained on the course for youth- and child-headed families.
• 7,451 women have been trained on their rights regarding gender violence and child abuse.
For the future, the WRDM highlighted the following objectives in its 'West Rand Manifesto':
• To merge into a single B1 municipality by 2016.
• Work towards becoming a unicity (metropolitan form of government) by 2025.
• Become the greenest district in South Africa.
• Utilise the green economy to grow the GGP of the West Rand.
• Implement increasingly-shared services district-wide.
• Create jobs to combat poverty and dependence.
• Build a united and prosperous non-racial society.
• Commit to training and skilling of our communities.
• Build better neighbourhoods throughout the district, with equitable access to municipal services.
• Ensure effective and accountable councillors.
• Improve the quality of life for all.

Read more about Project HOPE's work in Munsieville here.

TNT helps ship beds for orphanage in South Africa

Eight hospital beds donated by Lewes Victoria Hospital Trust in East Sussex are on their way to an HIV orphanage in South Africa, thanks to TNT, the world-leading provider of express delivery services.
The beds were collected from the hospital by TNT and moved to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport, from where they will be transported by sea to South Africa.
Martin Lowrey, National Operations Manager at TNT, said “We were delighted to help Project HOPE with this collection and were able to use a vehicle which regularly runs between the airport and the Ceva warehouse. Our operations team have first-hand experience of working on overseas programmes with international charities and so really understand the difference that these shipments make to the lives of people in developing countries.”
The beds will provide much-needed furniture in a government-run HIV orphanage in the West Rand province, where the children currently sleep on the floor.
Find out more about Project HOPE UK’s Thoughtful Path programme in South Africa here.
For more information about TNT and its services, visit their Web site.

Take part in the London 10K just before the 2012 Olympics!

Enter for this year's London 10K run on July 10 and we will guarantee your place in the 2012 event, just before the London Olympics kicks off next summer.
Reserve your slot now by registering online - you can run, jog or walk the route on your own or with friends or colleagues in a team of four.
Help up raise funds for The Thoughtful Path programme near Johannesburg, South Africa and change the lives of orphans and other vulnerable children forever!