Helping good people do good things

The concept of law has its origins in Ancient Greece between 500 and 300 BC. Simply stated, it refers to a set of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to regulate behaviour thus helping good people do good things. Similarly, our Rules of Conduct are a set of rules to regulate much of what happens in our village.Our Rules of Conduct are underpinned by specific laws of our country, i.e. the Sectional Titles Act, the Act on Elderly Persons, the Act determining the Nature of Housing Development Schemes for Retired Persons, and the Constitution.

There can be little doubt, therefore, that they (our Rules of Conduct) are obligations imposed by law and put into effect by a legal entity, i.e. the Management Committee, under the auspices of the Management Association.

However, as in the case of the laws of the country, our Rules of Conduct may appear somewhat inflexible. Hence, the Management Committee exercises a reasonable degree of empathy when putting them into effect.

Perhaps it is time to remind residents that our Rules of Conduct are fundamental to the peaceful coexistence and good order in our village. Consequently, the next few postings on this blog will briefly focus on some of them.

This month residents are advised to take note of Par. 2, which determines that our village is meant for people who are self-supporting and can live independently without causing a risk, embarrassment or nuisance to other residents.

Super Constellation Starliner lands in Warmbaths/Bela-Bela

Super Constellation Starliner

The story below recounts the sensational arrival in Warmbaths/Bela-Bela of a Super Constellation Starliner, nicknamed Connie, which, in its operational lifetime, was able to convey a maximum of 44 passengers in  pressurised comfort on international routes. Although this blog is unable to confirm the source of the information and photographs, the name of Erik Eriksen crops up frequently.

Connie was withdrawn from service by Trek Airways in April 1969 and stored in Johannesburg until it was bought for the sum of R2 000 in July 1971 by a local businessman named Willem Pelser who planned to convert the aircraft into a restaurant. At the time, Pelser was the owner of the Klein-Kariba holiday resort, 7 km north of Warmbaths/Bela-Bela.

The aircraft’s last flight was to Warmbaths/Bela-Bela on 9 October 1971. Captain Retief approached from the direction of Nylstroom and skilfully landed Connie on a primitive landing strip in the bush. See photograph below.

There were no runway lights nor (perhaps) even a windsock. It was, in fact, little more than a glorified plaaspad!

The plans for a restaurant did not materialize. When Klein-Kariba was taken over by the Afrikaanse Taal- en Kultuurvereniging in 1973, the aircraft was converted into a boardroom.

A glorified boardroom!

In 1978 the South African Airways bought the aircraft to restore it to its former glory. It was dismantled, loaded on trucks (see photograph below) and transported to Johannesburg in 1979 where the restoration was completed in 1988.

Today she is on display at the South African Airways Museum, Rand Airport in Germiston (see photograph below).

Oord verwelkom Gudrun Smith

 

Gudrun Smith (E26) is in 1948 in Amsterdam, Nederland, gebore. In 1958 het sy en haar ouers na Suid-Afrika geëmigreer. Hulle hul mettertyd in Germiston gevestig. Hier het sy haar skoolloopbaan aan die Hoërskool Vryburger voltooi. Sy het met Francois Marais in die huwelik getree en die edel roeping van voltydse tuisteskepper aanvaar. Nadat Francois oorlede is, is sy met Raymond Smith getroud. Hy het haar egter ook later ontval.

Gudrun het haar voorheen intensief met onder andere tapesserie-, pottebak-, kers- en houtsneewerk besig gehou.

Sy vertel dat sy verskeie aftreeopsies oorweeg het voordat sy besluit het om vanaf Kemptonpark na ons oord te verhuis. Sy is in haar noppies met haar gerieflike wooneenheid en die vriendelike inwoners wat sy tot dusver ontmoet het. Sy het reeds by die sosiale funksiesgroep ingeskakel.

 

 

The best vetkoek in town

The Social Functions Group recently held yet another hugely successful vetkoek bake-and-sell. Our staatmakers are owed a vote of thanks for their efforts. They made 288 vetkoeks. The proceeds will be ringfenced and eventually spent on something that is likely to benefit our village and its residents.

The photographs below provide an overview of proceedings in chronological order

Voorsitter se boodskap - September 2022

 

Die Voorsitter van die Bestuurskomitee, WESSIE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN skryf soos volg: Die lente is in aantog; ʼn seisoen wat deur die ontwaking van die natuur gekenmerk word. Ons dank ons Hemelse Vader vir die voorreg om dit opnuut te mag ervaar.

I recently heard that a few residents perceive our Rules of Conduct as of little consequence. Regrettably, they appear to be under the impression that it may be contravened with impunity. I hope that the lawlessness that pervades our country, does not find its way into our village. Nonetheless, I prefer to believe that most of our residents diligently abide by our Rules of Conduct.

Baie dankie aan al die inwoners wat ̓n bydrae lewer om van ons oord ʼn aangename tuiste te maak en diegene wat die bestuurskomitee onder-steun. Ek verseker u dat klagtes beskou word as ʼn eerlike strewe om ons lewensomstandighede te verbeter.

The year is rapidly drawing to a close. Nonetheless, there are quite a few matters that need to be  attended to, for example our annual general meeting, our budgetary proposals, dealing with a number of motions and the election of the Management Committee for 2023.

Ten opsigte van laasgenoemde doen ek hiermee ʼn beroep op u om my te kom spreek as u van inwoners weet wat geskik is om in die bestuurskomitee te dien.