19 June 2008

The West Rand is a tourist destination of choice with not only a World Heritage Site but a wealth of culture, history, magnificent fauna & flora, vibrant township experiences as well as luxurious spas to pamper local and international visitors.
 
The West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) recognised that the tourism potential of this prime region, jam-packed with attractions, should be expanded and developed as increased tourism figures will assist in community development and will generate much needed and sustainable employment.
 
“We have therefore made funds available to West Rand Tourism for the development of prominent branding and for a brand new, dynamic advertising/marketing campaign to establish this colourful, multi-faceted region in the hearts and the minds of the people”, comments Amanda Lombaard, WRDM Regional Tourism Coordinator.
 
“The brand is being developed by specialist branding company, Elements Advertising & Marketing, headed by Chief Operating Officer, Phindi Mavimbela. Laverick Media Communications (LMC) will be responsible for the advertising campaign which will be supported by regular articles in select media to keep the public constantly up-to-date with developments and special attractions”, explains Amanda.
 
West Rand Tourism plans to unveil its new “coat” at a function to launch the new branding during the latter part of this year. The new advertising campaign will kick-off simultaneously and the public will be kept up-to-date with regular articles in selected media.
 
The vibrant marketing campaign is so comprehensive that it even takes into account the tremendous possibilities for product owners around the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Enticing competitions, visitor reward programs, school and educational packages are only some of the activities planned over the next twelve months and will undoubtedly entrench  the West Rand region as the place to see and to be seen.

19 June 2008

The West Rand region traces its roots to the beginning of humankind and offers such extreme diversity that literally every tourism taste is catered for.
 
The world renowned Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site allows tourists to lose themselves in the unique band of palaeanthropological sites with the Sterkfontein Caves yielding some of the richest evidence of the origin of mankind, the Wonder Caves, the first gold mine in Gauteng, iron age, stone age and rock art sites, to name but a few.
 
This 47 000 ha terrain is richly endowed with fauna and flora (some endangered plant species can be seen here), 350 recorded bird species and a large nature  reserve, The Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, which boasts three of the big five, an animal crèche and a reptile centre.
 
In fact, the entire West Rand region, including Randfontein, Westonaria, Mogale City (Krugersdorp) and picturesque Magaliesburg, where the oldest mountain range known to man is found (Magaliesberg), abound with wild life and four of the big five roam on the
1 500ha Ngonyama Lion Lodge & Krugersdorp Game Reserve while at another game lodge, visitors are entertained by zebra and giraffe wandering freely through the hotel grounds. The 3,000ha malaria-free, authentic private game reserve, Plumari Game Lodge, is currently awaiting the arrival of lions to be able to offer the full Big Five (including hippos) within Gauteng Province.

Tourists are guaranteed an experience of a life time compressed into a few days or even in a few hours with an endless list of outdoor activities such as hot air ballooning, hiking, cycling and horse trails, fly fishing, abseiling, caving, river rafting, etc. Visitors are spoilt for choice by arts and crafts, historical sights, cultural villages, ethnic dancing, cheese-making, glass blowing and so much more, on the beautiful Crocodile Ramble and Magalies Meander.

Taking a step further, tourists can enjoy the exhilarating township route, an unbeatable cultural experience from traditional clothing and beadwork, cane weavers, educational and craft and design training centres, to Jazz Clubs, Shebeens, well-appointed B&Bs and restaurants serving delicious traditional fare.
The West Rand region has a delectable menu of restaurants, some that have remained on the top-ten restaurant guide for a number of years while accommodation caters for every taste, from five-star luxury, to homely B&Bs and, for the more adventurous, well-appointed tented camps.
South Africa’s vibrant business community is well looked after with conference facilities ranging from rustic to ultra-modern, all equipped for successful conferencing and team building.
For those who are planning a wedding, this region offers the most romantic and beautiful settings for that special day.

21 May 2008

Amanda Tongha

Meer as die helfte van Gauteng se munisipaliteite het nie genoeg finansiële beheer nie en net een munisipaliteit in dié provinsie kon ’n  “skoon” ouditverslag die afgelope jaar van die ouditeur-generaal ontvang. Dít is luidens ’n verslag van mnr. Terence Nombembe, ouditeur-generaal, waarin gekyk word hoe die 14 munisipaliteite in Gauteng in die 2006-’07-boekjaar gevaar het. Luidens dié verslag het  slegs 36% van munisipaliteite in die provinsie voldoende kontrole oor hul geldsake, met die Wes-Rand-distriksmunisipaliteit die enigste wat ’n totale skoon ouditeursverslag ontvang het. Vyf ander munisipaliteite, die Johannesburgse metroraad, die Lesedi-, Metsweding- en Sedibeng-distriksmunisipaliteit en die Midvaal- plaaslike munisipaliteit, het ook goeie ouditeursverslae ontvang, maar daar is ruimte vir  verbetering. Johannesburg is die enigste metroraad wat goed gevaar het. Die ander twee metrorade in die provinsie, die Ekurhuleni- en die Tshwane-metroraad, het albei gekwalifiseerde ouditeurs-menings ontvang. Die Kungwini-plaaslike munisipaliteit, wat deel uitmaak van die Metsweding-distriksmunisipaliteit, het die slegste van al die munisipaliteite gevaar en ’n ongunstige ouditeursmening ontvang.

20 May 2008

By Dumisane Lubisi   

GAUTENG municipalities have committed themselves to have clean audit opinions by next year, following criticism from the Auditor General about their ability to account for public funds.

Only one out of the 14 municipalities received a clean audit from the office of Auditor General Terrence Nombembe.

The West Rand District Municipality received an unqualified audit opinion - with no other matters of concerns -  but the three municipalities falling under the district either got disclaimers or qualified audit opinions.

Johannesburg is the only one of the three metropolitan municipalities in the province to receive an unqualified audit opinion, but it came with other matters that still needs attention.

Nombembe on Tuesday said that Gauteng Local Government MEC Qedani Mahlangu has committed herself and the  municipalities to achieve clean audits in 2009. He said the early submissions of financial statements by the province's municipalities as a "milestone" towards achieving clean audits. He also said some of the measures, to achieve clean audits,  will include corroboration and co-ordination between better performing municipalities and those who performed badly.

"There is an opportunity for best practices from the district municipalities to be shared among other municipalities," Nombembe said.

Municipalities would be expected to ensure that internal audits were properly staffed to work effectively, while audit committees would be expected to raise matters of concerns with public accounts committees with each councils. Of concern to auditors was the high turnover of key finance staff and ineffective management of consultants by municipalities. Nombembe said the public sector has a challenge to make "it attractive and exciting to professionals to stay." "Government, especially local government,  is a good training ground for professionals," he said, adding that the private sector poached professionals once they had been trained.

Nombembe said lack of proper accountability of assets, especially non-current assets, and usage of funds were the main contributing  factors to the municipalities' being financially qualified. "(This was so) due to lack of adequate internal controls, lack of capacity and  lack of skills to fully comply with the prescribed accounting framework," he said.

31 July 2007