AGM Thursday 25^th September

 Get this into your diaries, 5.00 pm for 5.30 pm at Coronation Park.  It is essential that you contact  Astrid on 013 712 2880 so that she can arrange the catering.  As usual there will be a cash bar available. You will have seen the following in the Barberton Times: CALL FOR NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS

Nominations are hereby called to fill ten positions on the Board of Directors.  Candidates will be evaluated for their relevant expertise, experience, qualifications, representation and credibility in their respective fields.  Professionals outside the tourism industry are also encouraged to apply, to broaden the skills on the Board. The position of director on the BCT Board is an unpaid position and nominees agree to implement and abide by the company code of conduct to ensure independence, transparency and good corporate governance.  Nomination forms can be obtained on www.barberton.co.za or by an e-mail from astrid at the Information Office on Market Square.                 Enquiries: Rev. Dave Morgan 082-371-8412 Nominations close on 2 November 2008 The important thing now is to nominate someone who is interested, enthusiastic and has knowledge of some aspect of the Board’s work, be it finance and auditing, business, catering, the hospitality industry, human relations and labour law.  Perhaps there is some other aspect that you think should be represented by the board; let us know by nominating your candidate.  Nomination forms and brief attached. If you need more information, or to talk it over, phone Astrid. 

Getaway Show

 Astrid linked with Lowveld Tourism to represent Barberton at the Getaway show last month.  This show is focused on national tourism and much interest was expressed in the World Heritage Site status that we expect to be realised soon.  The Barberton rocks went down well, as they did at the tourism indaba earlier in the year.  Once again thank you Sue Hicks for the effort you put into making the Hessian bags for the rocks, and to NTT Toyota for lending us a car.   

Garden Competition

 The Garden competition was a great success.  The following were awarded prizes:Large Gardens:                   L Steyn, 17 Bok StreetInstitutions:                           Jenny Scott, William George Guesthouse.Medium Gardens:                Hilda Grobler, Phumula Old Age home.Small Gardens:                   Frik Pelser, 1 Terrilyn Place.Gardens Under 18 months:                Vanessa Bahlmann, 100 Verdoorn street.Micro Gardens:                    Margaret Nieuwenhuis, 4B Martyn Street.Emjindini Gardens:                N Fakude, 2754 Ext 9 Emjindini.Business Premises:                Mica Hardware, Crown street,                                                Pappas Kitchen, Judge Street                                                Barberton Primary School.A special prize was given to Marlene Browning,3 Open Street, whose magical garden was commended for it’s originality and its special purpose which is for the community and especially for children. Best Garden Overall was that of Mr Frik Pelser of Terrilyn Place. 

The Umjindi Arts and Culture Festival

 Take note of this massive event taking place this weekend at Rimer’s Creek and Coronation park.  This Heritage Day celebration is organised through the combined efforts of the Municipality, Barberton Tourism and the Department of Sports Culture and Recreation.  It's going to make the whole town rock. At Rimers Creek on Saturday morning there'll be dancing, stalls and entertainment.  To enter the free gold panning competition you need to register at 8 am.  In the afternoon Mandoza will be at Coronation Park.  Besides this big star we will be entertained by many local artists whom, we hear, faced stiff competition at the auditions last week.  Tickets for the Saturday concert available at BCT offices, detailed programme below: On Sunday, free Gospel music live at Coronation Park from 10.00 am to midday. UMJINDI ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL 20 SEPTEMBER 2008RIMERS CREEK Programme Director: Thomas Msimango  

09:05 – 09:20	Welcome note	Executive Mayor
09:20 – 09:40	Cultural performance	Timbali taseMjindini
09:45 – 09:55	Choral Music	Barberton Primary School
09:55 – 10:05	Choral Music	Mountainview School Choir
10:10 – 10:30	Purpose of Heritage Celebration	Cllr. M. Zulu
10:30 – 10:50	Gumboot performance	Barberton Secondary School
10:55 – 11:15	Cultural Music	Mountainview Cultural Music
11:15 – 11:45	Keynote Address	Dr. Lubisi (DCSR)
11:50 – 12:20	Cultural Music	Make Shelangubo
12:25 – 12:50	Cultural performance	Inyoka beyihlohla Cultural Group
12:50	Vote of Thanks	Chief K. Dlamini

 UMJINDI ARTS & CULTURE FESTIVAL20 SEPTEMBER 2008CORONATION PARK  Programme Directors:                Astrid Christianson, Vusi Gwebu  

14:00 – 14:05	Opening and Welcome	Municipal Manager
14:05 – 14:25	Opera Music	The Three Tenors
14:25 – 14:45	Jazz Music	Nhlanhla Jazz
14:45 – 15:05	Hip Hop	Dirty Boyz
15:05 – 15:25	Kwaito	Slomotion
15:25 – 15:45	Hip Hop	Blank Page
15:45 – 16:05	Hip Hop Dance	DFG
16:05 – 16:25	Rock ‘n Roll	Sol Reinecke
16:25 – 16:45	Kwaito Dance	Dangerous Jacksons
16:45 – 17:05	Kwaito Music	Kwaai Kop
17:05 – 20:00	Kwaito Music and Dance -(Mandoza to perform one song with Blank Page + one song with Slomotion)	Mandoza + Crew
20:00	Closure	Programme Directors

  

Have you ever heard of SIMON’S HOUSE?

 Here is a great new eccentric stop off for tourists.  Locals in Ligwalawala Street, Emjindini are familiar with this curious artistic creation that is to be opened to the public.  It was featured in the Spring issue of Lowveld Living Magazine.   Built by well known local builder, Jabula Simon Sibiya, who sadly passed away in January this year, it is to be opened to visitors by his son Bonnie Sibiya.  Bookings can be made through Astrid at the tourist office. 

Wiz Quiz

 How have you been doing in the Barberton quiz? There have been 90 questions over a period of nine weeks and the winner will hold the title of Barberton Boffin for the next year.  Copies of the Barberton Times has been remarkably hard to find during some weeks of the competition, which suggests that many people were trying their hand as competitors.   This is the last week of the competition, so you have one last chance to win the rather nice weekly prize.  The overall winner will be the person who has won the most times during the period of the competition.  (If you haven't entered the others, then its a bit late for that.) 

World Gold Panning Championships

 1300 panners took part in the World Gold Panning Championships in Navalgas,Spain in July.  As you  know Danny Brink, our National Champion from Barberton, went with a 10 person team supported by the Department for Sports, Culture and Recreation. Danny took part in eight events and reached the finals in six of them.  The best result for South Africa was in the National Teams event in which the team came in 4th place out of the total of 18 nations. Danny would like to thank those of you in Barberton who contributed to his trip; he reports that it was a wonderful experience and has whetted his appetite for more world class competitions. 

National gold Panning Championships

 The National Championships are on the horizon once again, taking place from the 2nd to 5th of October at Pilgrims Rest.  Barberton will be sending ten or more competitors, some of whom are from the Barberton Museum who are sending a team for the first time this year. If you take a walk to the back of the museum you will see the newly dug panning pits, which will be christened at the Heritage Day event on Saturday.  These will provide local people the chance to get into practice prior to the Championships, not to mention a number of enthusiastic children who have been waiting a long time for these pits to become locally accessible. 

34th Barberton Daisy Golf Week

 This annual festival of golf begins on Heritage Day (20th September) and runs until the 27th  September.  Contact the Golf Club for details. 

Tourism Monitors

 We have two Tourism Monitors and a possibility of 4 more joining us this month.    They will be roaming the streets and alerting the police should they find anything untoward.  They are still awaiting their uniforms, but hopefully will soon be very easily identifiable.  Welcome to Sipho and Given, we are very please to have you with us!   If you know of any up-coming events or items of interest, be sure to let Astrid know or get in touch with Anne Morgan, our newsletter compiler, on 013 712 5418 or 082 255 3233.  Otherwise simply load the details onto the website calendar at www.barberton.co.za.  We will be happy to provide advance publicity in this newsletter.   Please make this newsletter yours by becoming involved.  Let us know what you want to publicise and/or wish to hear.

Barberton Tourism

Email: info[@]barberton.co.za