African Teddy Bear

Emakhazeni Highlands African Teddy

Our story starts on a rainy October day in 2009, Middleburg, Mpumalanga.  A solitary figure, a wet 40ish African man stood at the road side hitching a lift.  Something moved Judy van Deventer to turn her car around and offer him a lift on her way to work in Witbank.  As they drove the story unfolded.  Pastor Edmond Thakoago was on his way to a job interview as a Tyre-fitter and assessment operator in Witbank.  Judy, who works in Corporate Social Investment at Xstrata Alloys (Carbon Division) and who has a great love of music, was keen to get more involved with local choirs. Numbers were exchanged, and 3 weeks later Judy went to meet Pastor Edmond’s Youth Choir in Mhluzi township, Middleburg.  The church is a rundown old green corrugated iron building and doubles as a day care centre for orphans during the week, by a volunteer from the local community.  Judy was moved by the poor conditions, and as the choir work progressed, an idea of an African Teddy started to form as a means to both create work for local people, and to raise money to improve conditions at the day care centre.  Through her CSI work Judy is also involved with the Ikonolethu Project in Wonderfontein, Emakhazeni Highlands.  “Ikonolethu” means “our talent”.  There the ladies, widows of farm workers, make and sell traditional Ndebele Beadwork.  They also work from a ramshackle building and run an ill equipped crèche for local toddlers.  Sales of the teddies will help the Wonderfontein community to improve their crèche facility and their standard of living.  During late 2009 to early 2010 the teddy was researched and designed, and is manufactured presently by Martha Mathupane and Mable Nkosi of Middleburg.  Beading is done at Wonderfontein by a team of 10 to 15 ladies including Sophie Masango, Maria Mkambule and Rose Mahlangu.

Traditional Swazi Cloth worn by Silvia Mahlangu was made by Ikhono Lethu

The Emakhazeni Highlands Tourism Association has adopted the African Teddies as their mascot for Upliftment Projects in the region with a view to increasing sales for project members.  Responsible Tourism involves creating and promoting work amongst the previously disadvantaged peoples, and with the Emakhazeni region being beautiful hiking, horse riding, fly fishing and rock climbing countryside, it means that we have a lot of rural people who have had little chance of education, and struggle to make ends meet.  We want visitors to our region to come enjoy our lovely outdoor activities, fill their lungs with the fresh cool air of Mpumalanga’s Emakhazeni Highlands, and take home an African Teddy. (“Emakhazeni’ means “the cold place”.  Our cool temperate climate and high altitude are ideal for outdoor pursuits and high altitude training.)

                               African Teddy        

                         

Emakhazeni Highlands region is a mere 2.5 hour drive from Gauteng, making it an excellent weekend break from Johannesburg and Pretoria, and we are en route to Kruger National Park, Swaziland and Mozambique, serviced by the excellent N4 highway.  There is a full range of accommodation, from 5 Star hotels and Spas, to self catering, back packers and camping in our villages of Dullstroom, Belfast, Machadodorp and Waterval Boven and on our scenic farms in the Skurweberg, Kwena Basin and Elands Valley.  For further information on our region’s attractions and on the African Teddies and our other Upliftment Projects please check our web site http://www.emakhazenitourism.com/, or contact Silvia Mahlangu, Emakhazeni Tourism Association on 076 809 2952.

9TH ANNUAL LADIES FLY FISHING COMPETITION 20-22 MAY 2011

BELFAST FLY FISHING ASSOCIATION

9^TH ANNUAL LADIES FLY FISHING COMPETITION 20-22 MAY 2011

Janet Hendrikz - Convener

Early registration and light refreshments were served on Friday evening giving the ladies and their partners an opportunity to meet and mix with other competitors and the organisers. As usual the ladies received their well stocked “goody bags”.

Unfortunately for us many of our usual entrants had been selected to go to Nationals on the same weekend and whilst we missed them it gave 20 ladies the opportunity to spread themselves around the dam. After several requests we decided to open up the days fishing to those gentlemen brave enough to cross dress. This was well received by the ladies who welcomed them with good spirit.  Saturday morning late registration took place from 6.00 am and at 6.45am when all competitors drew for positions and took to the waters for a very tough days fishing with only one fish being caught in the first morning session. The fish were there but only 6 trout were caught in the morning and 19 in the afternoon.

Brunch was served at 11.30, followed by a fly casting demonstration by Hendrika (one of the cross dressers) who also offered to help any of the ladies with casting problems.

The afternoon brought great excitement when Davinia (Dave Hepworth ) landed a 60cm trout weighing in at 3.3kg, a record for the day  but not for long for only half an hour late Angelique Bailey landed a 64cm trout. She had entered our competition for the first time this year, congratulations Angelique we are sure you will be back next year.

The prize giving dinner attended by competitors, partners, and officials followed a strenuous but fun days fishing..

Heather Harvey won the trophy for the longest bag for the 3 rd time previously having won this competition in 2005 and 2010. The total value of her prize was R7950, which included an accommodation voucher from one of our main sponsors valued at R5500. 2^nd prize, valued at R6860 went to Robyn van Leeuwen.  3^rd prize, valued at R5820 went to Justine Smit. The longest trout measuring 64cm was caught by Angelique Bailey and her prize was worth R4150.

There were also prizes for our cross dressers.

All competitors received Lucky Draw Bags at the end of the evening and competitors, officials and guest received thank you gifts of bulbs from Hadeco.

Congratulations to all the participants, especially the prize winners

LONGESTBAG                    Heather Harvey                                   LONGEST TROUT Angelique Bailey             

2^ND LONGEST BAG           Robyn van Leeuwen                          WINNING TEAM Chantie Minnaar, Natasha Bean,   3^RD LONGEST BAG                Justine Smit                                                                            Angelique Bailey and Christelle Price 4^TH LONGEST BAG       Thelani Scholtz

                                                               

Other prizes were awarded to Natasha Bean, Charmain Calcutt, Ina Meyer, Chantie Minnaar, Mariolette Nel, Franciska Pile, Thelani Scholtz and Justine Smit.

Franciska Pile, Justine Smit and Glynis Shoebotham were presented with their 5year awards for having fished 5 of the 9 competitions to date. They join 11 other ladies 2 of whom have fished all 9events. Thank you for your loyalty.

The Sunday competition for competitors, officials and their partners was held on Sunday morning and the weekend ended with lunch and another prize giving where a number of prizes were awarded and lucky draw prizes were distributed, all couples received a goody bag.

The Belfast Fly-Fishing Association raised sponsored prizes worth R104 000, making the annual event well-worth entering. Our 10^th Competition will be held from 18^th to 20^th May 2012, please diaries now to enter early and ensure your place. 

THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS WHO MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE.

 With out you there would be no competition.

 AJF Agencies, Almar Groentemark, Alsumic Trout, Anford House, Angling Africa, Belfast Fly Fishing, Cape Union Mart,  Classic Blue, Colin & Jean Turner, Distell, Dunkeld Serenty Spa, Earth Gear, Elands Kloof, Elgin Farm, Embroidery Basket, Fishing Pro Shop, Fitzgerald Mica Hardware, Forelwater, Gani’s Witbank, Glendower Whisky, Grip Hooks, Hadeco, Harmonette, Harry Dickinson, Highland Rose-Serenity Spa,  Highland Spar, Highland Springs Country Estate, Iain Stewart, Jandi Trading, Karel –Jan’s Country Cottage,  Kosmos, Machado Stud Lodge, Millys, Mrs Simpsons, OK Value, Orange River Cellars, Owl & Trout, Platanna Press, Perfume Direct, Peter Naylor, SA Philips, SDM Eyewear, Senqu, Stealth (Dave Lavene), Stuart Ormerod, Tabard, Tabrar & Earle, The Kingfisher Country Lodge, The Village Angler, Tops  Urban Fly Fishers, Valley of the Rainbow,  Verlorenkloof Estate, Wayne Plastics and Woody’s Place.