Throwback Thursday – We delve back into the archives to June 16, 2006
Council tables inclusive budget while court sentences serial killers and residents renew crime concerns.
Our Throwback Thursday feature will give readers a glimpse into the past and how the Courier covered the news of the day.
Today, we go back to June 2006 and it was a newsy week…
The Endumeni Local Municipality made headlines for all the right reasons after tabling what was described as the most positive and inclusive budget in its history.
While council celebrated a forward-looking financial plan, residents were simultaneously urged to exercise extreme caution as fire season tightened its grip. Strong winds and dry grass created ideal conditions for runaway veld fires across the district.
Tragedy also struck the community when five people lost their lives in two separate accidents. Among the victims were three Correctional Services warders from Ncome Prison and a former mayoral secretary, sending shockwaves through Dundee and surrounding areas.
In the High Court, justice was served when two serial killers were each handed double life sentences for a string of murders committed in Dundee and Glencoe. The successful convictions were secured through the work of Inspectors M Maharaj, V V Dlamini and A Singh, whose investigations brought the perpetrators to book.
In lighter news at the time, shoppers were delighted by supermarket specials, including a 1.1kg frozen chicken for just R9,99 and a 2kg value pack for R19,99 — prices that today seem almost unbelievable.
Yet not everything has moved forward. A decade ago, ratepayers called for CCTV cameras to be installed in the central business district to combat rising crime. Ten years later, the same plea continues, with residents again demanding visible surveillance to deter criminal activity in town.
On the sporting front, two local wrestling champions earned selection to the South African national wrestling team — a remarkable achievement given their disadvantaged backgrounds. However, their celebrations were tempered when they were informed that wrestling is not among the 10 sporting codes supported by the Department of Sport and Recreation, forcing them to appeal for funding to keep their dreams alive.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at dundee.courier@caxton.co.za. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.
