 |
| 25 May 2005 |
| Signs lead to conflict |
| By Dalene Robus |
| |
Businessmen in town want to seek a solution to the signage problem in Barberton.
At a meeting that was held last week Wednesday they agreed that the advertising boards of different types and sizes around Barberton looked untidy.
If the signboards were similar, the visitors’ first impression of the town would improve.
They decided not to use the services of Directosign, a national company contracted by the municipality to erect route directional indicators in town.
The decision was made because smaller businesses cannot afford the high monthly rates for the services rendered by Directosign.
According to Elsabe Jacobs of EMJ Properties, a sub-committee was selected with the task of investigating various aspects of signage and the legal procedures.
A follow-up meeting with the businessmen will then be held and its recommendations submitted to the municipality.
The meeting was, however, clouded with disagreement due to Barberton Community Tourism (BCT) attending and apparently taking over the meeting.
According to Rassie Schoeman advertising boards in town are not a tourism-related issue.
The sub-committee selected at the meeting now formed part of a
BCT committee responsible for signage.
Rassie said that the tourism company had a history of promising a lot and not delivering much.
The time has come to “walk the talk”, he said.
According to DA Councilor for Ward 6, Phillip Minnaar, Barberton would benefit from standardised signboards.
“It is a worrying factor that some people have misgivings about the BCT,” he said.
Sandra du Preez, BCT secretary, disagreed with the allegations made against it. She said that although it seems that nothing happened at BCT,
the company had steadily progressed in putting Barberton’s tourism in place.
“Barbertonians should stop criticising each other,” she said.
According to Flicka Goslett, Umjindi Jewellery Project, the time has come for all to work together.
Elsabe told the Barberton Times that the sub-committee members would function separate from the BCT.
|
|
| |
 |
| The entrance to Barberton at the Medi-clinic with a hodge-podge of signs. |
| |
| Ready for the Lowveld winter |
With winter suddenly upon us Rani de Klerk, who was crowned as Miss Photogenic at a function at Barberton High School recently, is well prepared to face
the cold.
We are used to often experiencing all four seasons in one day.
This year however we never ever had an autumn as summer went directly into winter.
Fortunately we are already entering June and hopefully we will survive July and August before we can prepare ourselves for another nice hot summer. |
|
 |
|
Photo: Lynette Louw |
| |
| Hervormers vier 40ste verjaarsdag |
| Deur Lynette Louw |
| |
Die Nederduitse Hervormde Kerk het verlede week hulle 40ste verjaarsdag gevier. Verskeie oud predikante en oud lidmate het die feesviering bygewoon.
Gedurende die afgelope naweek is spesiale dienste deur oudleraars gelei.
Volgens ds. Jan de Beer het die gemeente in 1965 tot stand gekom toe ds. SP Viljoen hierheen beroep is en hulle van Nelspruit afgestig het.
Die gemeente se grense het ver gestrek en Komatipoort, Diepgezet, Kaapmuiden, Swaziland en Mosambiek ingesluit.
Vanaf 1968 to 1978 was De Beer die leraar en kan hy goed onthou hoe hy op ‘n Sondag vier dienste op verskillende plekke moes hou.
Dienste is aanvanklik in Barberton in die hoërskoolsaal gehou, voordat genoeg fondse bymekaar gemaak is om ‘n kerksaal te bou. Die eerste gebou wat egter voltooi is, was die pastorie wat vandag nog deur die predikantspaar bewoon word.
“Ons het die saal eiehandig met hulp van bandiete gebou en dit was ‘n vreugde toe dit amptelik op 1 Mei 1971 ingewy is,” het hy vertel.
In hierdie stadium het die gemeente van die aanvanklik 100 lidmate verdubbel tot 200.
Ds. Willem Bezuidenhout het die kudde vir die volgende twee jaar gelei voordat ds. Francois Marais van 1980 tot 1990 die prediker was.
Gedurende sy tydperk is die saal in ‘n kerk omskep en het verskeie verbouing en verbrekings plaasgevind.
Komatipoort het in 1984 van Barberton afgestig. Marais die pragtig tuine by die pastorie en terasse by die kerk begin.
Vanaf 1990 tot 1992 was ds. Nols de Bruin herder van die gemeente en ds. Peet Swanepoel het hom vanaf 1994–1995 opgevolg voordat die huidige predikantspaar, ds. Duwies Duvenage en sy vrou Sonja, die leisels oorgeneem het.
“Strukture het deur die jare verander, maar die Woord het altyd bly staan,” het Ansie de Beer die laaste stuiwer in die beurs gevoeg.
Die gemeente het die feesviering Vrydag met ‘n gholfdag gevier, gevolg deur ‘n spesiale diens wat Saterdagaand deur ds. Jan de Beer gelei is. Hierna het die gemeente gesellig saamgekuier. Sondag na ‘n nagmaalsdiens gelei deur ds. Nols de Bruin, is daar verder by Androtties gekuier.
|
 |
| Ds. Nols en Bridget de Bruin, ds. Duwies en Sonja Duvenage, ds. Jan en Ansie de Beer en ds. Francois en Andrien Marais het die feesviering van die Hervormers die afgelope naweek bygewoon. |
| |
Return to the top of Barberton Times
|
|
|
