Relax

The Craven Week Rugby Tournament for Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) takes place in George this week, from 27 to 30 June 2022, and the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk visited the Outeniqua Park Stadium on Tuesday, 28 June 2022 to welcome this tournament in George.

“I’m here today at the Outeniqua stadium, where the Craven Week Rugby Tournament is taking place for the Learners with Special Educational Needs who are also participating in the Craven Week Rugby. We’ve got 12 Provinces playing here in George over this week and it’s a wonderful occasion for us to be able to host this tournament that alternates between inland and at the coast, and it was in Oudtshoorn about 10 years ago and therefore it is great to have these teams participating in George at present with television coverage.”

“George has always looked after people with special needs and therefore it is a great privilege and honour to have this tournament taking place here this week in George where we’ve got good weather for the entire week,” Mayor van Wyk added.

Portfolio Councillor Brendon Adams, Community Services: Social Development, Libraries & Sport who accompanied the Executive Mayor van Wyk said the hosting of Craven Week Rugby tournament in George serves both as a rugby prosperity and an economic injection for George. “We are very excited to have the Craven Week Rugby in George, it’s a huge boost for our tourism and it’s absolutely great for rugby and for George,” Adams said.

According to the organiser Craven Week Rugby organiser in George, Nick Theunissen, the participating Provinces are Eastern Province Elephants, Sharks, Boland, Valke, SWD, WP, Blue Bulls, Griffons, Leopards, Free State, Natal and Pumas.

Ends.

 CAPTION:

Photo 1: Portfolio Councillor Brendon Adam (Community Services: Social Development, Libraries & Sport), Nick Theunissen (Organiser Craven Week Rugby), Ald Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George) and Veda Manie (SWD Rugby)

Photo 2: Veda Manie (SWD Rugby), Portfolio Councillor Brendon Adam (Community Services: Social Development, Libraries & Sport), Nick Theunissen (Organiser Craven Week Rugby), and Ald Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George)

George Municipality Executive Mayor Alderman Leon van Wyk formally handed over the Thembalethu iHUB, an ICT business and innovator incubator programme, at a ribbon cutting service today (14 October 2021). The municipality provides the premises, services and an annual cash contribution towards the project. The Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) funded the repurposing of the building to the needs of the iHUB.

Ald Van Wyk said collaborations such as these were very important for the municipality’s ongoing pursuit to lure international companies to establish their call centres here. “The ongoing installation of optic fibre in our city and region is a good sign for all levels of business and the establishment of an ICT iHUB that develops advanced IT skills and businesses is an ideal way to introduce young people to this new world.”

SEDA Western Cape provincial manager Alex Qunta said the municipality had contacted him with an idea for a business incubator in Thembalethu. “SEDA and the municipality has worked well together through the years and I knew Nelson Mandela Bay iHUB was looking to expand, it seemed like a perfect fit. We look forward to more projects in George, which I consider to be the new capital of the Western Cape,” said Mr Qunta.

iHUB CEO Darryl Dennis said Covid-19 had placed emphasis on the need for remote working and had made much reliant on technology. “Among the iHUB projects for Thembalethu is the Global Virtual Apprenticeship in which we identify and mentor students to the level of advanced IT skills so that they could work on database-based IT platforms such as Booking.Com and LinkedIn – both of which can be done from home and pay in American dollars.”

Situated at municipal premises next to the local Thusong Centre in Jericho Street, Thembalethu iHUB’s location next to the N2 ensures easy access to local communities and the rest of George.

Thembalethu iHUB Centre Manager Sivuyo Ngcwangu said the hub brought programmes to Thembalethu and surrounding areas that would enhance economic activity and thereby assist in solving societal challenges through the application of ICT solutions.

“The iHUB as business incubator renders support to young grassroots innovators with the needed infrastructure, industry collaborations, enterprise supplier development linkages, access to funding linkages, mentoring, and coaching and potential partners or investors.

“The iHUB helps enterprises take on the challenge of township transformation in specific industries and business sectors and creates innovative solutions to those challenges,” said Ms Ngcwangu.

Caption
iHUB CEO Darryl Dennis (left) and George Municipality Executive Mayor Alderman Leon van Wyk cut the ribbon at the formal handover of the Thembalethu iHUB today (14 October 2021).