Looking back on South Coast history: September 24 to 30
Firearms featured in quite a few news reports this week.
One of the many amalgamation proposals came to nothing.
September 24
1993
“The Umtentweni Town Board has abandoned plans to merge with Port Shepstone following a resounding ‘No’ vote from its ratepayers.”
1999
“The Democratic Party gained its first seat on the Port Shepstone Local Council when Doug Rawlins scored a landslide victory at a by-election.”
And a long trial was about to begin. “Chief Calalakubo Khawula (73) appeared briefly in the Durban Regional Court last week in connection with an arms cache found in Hibberdene earlier this year.”
September 25
1992
“While a Margate woman was phoning her brother in Knysna to check whether alleged satanic killer Lawrence van Blerk was someone they knew, her brother was unwittingly harbouring him and his teenage girlfriend.”
It was reported that a large quantity of weapons had been seized by the Port Shepstone police after a clash between Inkatha Freedom Party and African National Congress supporters.
Hotel la Crete closed its doors and there was speculation that the landmark might be demolished.
“The Margate Olympic swimming pool would not be altered in any shape or form; the Herald was told this by the Margate Hotel developer.”
1998
“The strike by petrol attendants entered its fourth week with little sign of the deadlock being broken.”
But there was good news about water. “An estimated 24 000 people from KwaNzimakwe and KwaXolo now have access to treated water.”
September 26
1997
An old dream was revived: “An amount of R350-million is to become available within two weeks for the proposed marina development on the Mzimkhulu River.”
Auditors found documentary evidence that R361 733.01 had been misappropriated from the Ugu Regional Council.
“A 38-year-old man is due to appear in court this week charged with the rape of two children aged three and four years.”
“In a few hours, 4,4 tons of rubbish was picked up on the Lower South Coast by 371 people who took part in the coastal clean-up last Saturday. Plastic items, much of it washed ashore from ships at sea, made up nearly 80 percent of all the litter and rubbish picked up.”
“The new highway between Seaslopes and Southbroom will definitely be open in March 1992.”1996
“Port Shepstone is planning a big clean-up. It is inviting people to a meeting to discuss how to clean up the town and improve parking.”
September 29
1995
“A stray dog, shot by Port Shepstone Protection Services last week after it had been wandering around Port Shepstone for at least three days, tested positive for rabies.”
“The Hibiscus Coast’s tourism industry suffered a huge blow this week when TV news reported that the slaying of 12 people had taken place near Port Shepstone. ‘Why say Highflats, near Port Shepstone, when it is in fact more than 150km away?’ asked Port Shepstone councillor Roelie Rautenbach.”
The Inkatha Freedom Party said it expected at least 10 000 people at a march it was organising through Port Shepstone.
And Port Shepstone’s lighthouse, erected in 1905, was declared a national monument.
September 30
1994
“More than 350 angry Harding residents marched to the town board offices on Tuesday this week to demand a reduction in tariffs for services and the immediate reconnection of homes which had been ‘cut off’.”
The Port Shepstone police’s firearm unit seized a sizeable arms cache and arrested two men.
But… “Margate’s Emoyeni Centre resembled a war zone when gunmen went on the rampage last Friday. A 16-year-old schoolgirl was killed, seven people were wounded and shoppers and commuters ran screaming as they tried to find cover. In a separate incident later that night, an 18-year-old youth suspected of being involved in the shooting was stabbed to death by a gang.”
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