Latest news with #R130
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Test your IQ with Mensa
THE next test for membership of Mensa, the high IQ society, will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 09:45 near Pinetown. Mensa International is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. Founded in 1946, it is a non-profit organisation open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test: that is, in the top 2% of the population. The test is in multiple-choice format and comprises two sections. The first one tests general reasoning, and the second tests visio-spatial abilities. You may join Mensa by passing either section. The test is conducted by a registered psychologist and takes about two hours. Also read: WATCH Bee therapy creates a buzz in Hillcrest Results are confidential and simply comprise notification of whether you passed Mensa's criteria for membership or not – you will not be given an 'IQ score'. Candidates may leave with their results at the end of the session. Mensa is in effect a social club for people who sometimes enjoy the company of others who think a little quicker or see a slightly bigger picture than the average. The word 'Mensa' is Latin for 'Table' and signifies that they are a round-table organisation, where all members' values are equal. There are branches in all four major centres in South Africa. Meetings vary between social gatherings and ones of a more mentally stimulating nature. Should you write and pass the test, you will be offered membership, which currently costs R680 per year, with discounts for under 18 and over 65. Contact to book your place. It costs R130 (R100 for students and pensioners). Candidates must be 16 years or older. Candidates need to book a place, and pay beforehand, by EFT. They will need to bring their ID on the day, and there is safe parking at the venue. Mensa KZN is active on social media. For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Little Rangers Program ignites passion for Wildlife
The Lion & Safari Park is turning young visitors into wildlife champions with its exciting Little Rangers Adventure Club. This hands-on programme, designed for children aged 5 to 12, offers a thrilling mix of adventure, education, and conservation. It's quickly becoming a hit among South African families eager to swap screen time for real safari experiences. Just 13 kilometres from Lanseria Airport, the Lion & Safari Park invites children to step into the shoes of real rangers, according to IOL. Kids get to track animals, feed giraffes, attend lion talks, and take part in conservation activities—all in a safe and engaging setting. It's a chance to learn about South Africa's incredible wildlife up close. 'At Lion & Safari Park, we believe that a love for wildlife starts young,' says Shandor Larenty, Group Wildlife and Conservation Manager. 'We've seen how the Little Rangers programme sparks curiosity and passion in children. It's our way of nurturing the next generation of conservationists through unforgettable, hands-on experiences.' The programme runs every weekend throughout the year, making it easy for families to enjoy the great outdoors together. Each session lasts 90 minutes, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, and costs R130. To join, parents pay a one-time sign-up fee of R300, which includes a safari vest, a field guide, and the first Cub Scout badge. Children earn badges by completing fun, conservation-themed activities. These include art in the park, paw and spoor tracking, and age-appropriate bush survival skills. Each badge brings them closer to becoming a Little Game Ranger, the highest tier in the programme. Along the way, kids move through levels from Cub Scout to Safari Star, Wildlife Warrior, and finally Little Game Ranger. Each level unlocks exclusive discounts and benefits. The ultimate prize? A free birthday party at the park, complete with venue and setup, for those who reach the Little Game Ranger level. This unique reward motivates kids to learn and engage with nature actively. 'The badges and tiers give children a sense of achievement,' Larenty explains. 'They build knowledge, confidence, and excitement about wildlife and conservation. It's inspiring to see young faces light up when they earn a new badge.' The Little Rangers Adventure Club offers South African families a wonderful way to connect with nature and instil a lifelong respect for wildlife. It's a perfect blend of fun and learning, encouraging children to become true ambassadors for the environment. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Mayor defends water tariff increase while providing free water to vulnerable families
Left: Ilembe District Municipal Manager Sazi Mbhele, Mayor Thobani Shandu, and Director of Technical Services Ncingisa Mbole at the media briefing on Wednesday to clarify budget decisions. Image: Supplied As part of a response to the Democratic Alliance's demands for the 0% water tariff increase, the water-stricken Ilembe District Municipality has decided to supply 10,000 litres to poor households every month. In a R1.6 billion budget tabled by the district mayor, Thobani Shandu, on Tuesday, the municipality approved a revised 13% increase from 13.5%, which was initially proposed, dismissing the DA's demand as highly unreasonable. The mayor said it was not feasible not to increase the water tariff while Umngeni-Uthukela Water, which sells water to municipalities, has raised tariffs by 13%. Shandu said the municipality believes that more than 30% of the approximately 700,000 people living in the district will receive free water under the 10,000 litres cushion. The mayor said there would be a drive to encourage the poor households to register under indigent programmes so that their financial status would be assessed and be placed under the programme. 'It was impossible for us not to increase water tariffs while the water utility where we buy water from has increased. We were reasonable enough to at least increase our tariffs by the same amount. 'The DA must understand that we are a rural municipality with no less revenue collection, so we are like cities like eThekwini, which collect more residential and business rates, and those cities can easily reduce water tariffs and take money from other sources to cover water costs,' said Shandu. Out of this budget, the municipality set aside R357 million for capital projects, leaving the rest for operational costs. The municipality has a surplus of R14,6 million. Shandu said he believes the budget reflects a strong commitment to pro-poor service delivery, infrastructure development, and financial sustainability. Clarifying the qualifying criteria for free water, Shandu said all homes with a value of less than R130,000 of families with a combined monthly income of less than R50,000 will qualify for the free water programme. He added that the charges will also be capped at homes worth R5 million, meaning that even those families living in homes worth more than R5 million will not pay more than 13%. The district covers the three rural local municipalities of Ndwedwe, Mandeni, and Maphumulo as well as the semi-urban Greater KwaDukuza Municipality. In its response, the DA rejected the mayor's explanation, saying the party would force the municipality to reverse the increase through other mechanisms, including legal action. The DA's district constituency head, Sakhile Mngadi, who led the water march earlier, said the municipality's problem was irregular expenditure, which was picked up in the Auditor-General's report. Mngadi said that 15% of the budget went to fruitless and wasteful expenditure, and the municipality shifts its poor financial management to the poor people by burdening them with avoidable tariff increases. [email protected]
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
KZN municipality to give poor 10,000 litres of free water a month
Poor households in the iLembe district municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast will get 10,000 litres of water for free per month, while the rich will have to pay 13% more. At a media briefing in KwaDukuza on Wednesday after passing a budget of R1.9bn for the financial year 2025/2026, iLembe mayor Thobani Shandu said they regretted the increased water tariffs. 'The council has adopted a 13% increase for water and sanitation, down from the proposed 13.5% tabled during the council sitting of March 26,' said Shandu. 'It is important to note our increment is aligned with uMngeni-uThukela Water's bulk tariff hike. We are unlike some of neighbours who have opted to add input costs. 'Households valued at R130,000 or less will be exempt from sewer charges. These charges will be capped to the household value of R5m.'
Eyewitness News
7 days ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
KwaZulu-Natal government ordered to pay crèches
Judge Siphokazi Jikela, sitting in the high court in Pietermaritzburg, has ordered the KwaZulu-Natal government to pay three Early Childhood Development centres who are owed between R37,873 and R63,784 each. Early Childhood Development (ECD) subsidies are set by the national government, currently at R17 a day per child, but the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has been failing to pay centres on time. The three centres are among at least 275 in the province that have struggled with late subsidy payments, with one of them owed more than R130,000. Friends of South Africa (FOSA) and the KwaZulu-Natal Early Childhood Development Alliance are leading the court action against the department. The organisations are represented by the Legal Resources Centre. ECD centres provide a safe place for children to receive a foundational education and have their nutritional needs met while their parents are working or studying, says Nkosinathi Sibisi, the chairperson of FOSA. Without this support, parents either have to give up working to stay at home or leave their children alone. They appeared in an urgent court hearing on Monday, asking for the department to be ordered to pay the three centres — Sakhokwethu Crèche, Phumelela Crèche, and Zenzeleni Crèche — within five days. The Department's lawyers asked for a 30 day timeframe due to issues with their payment system. But Judge Jikela ordered the department to pay within ten days. In the second part of their court application, which will be heard in court at a future date, FOSA and their co-litigants have submitted a list of 275 centres that have been receiving their subsidies late. They want the department to file a report to the court, describing the extent of the department's breach of payment obligations and 'a plan to overcome these deficiencies'. Sibisi told GroundUp that the late payment issues go back to 2022, when the KZN education department took over the subsidy payments from the Department of Social Development (DSD). 'Even though there were payment issues when it was still done by the [DSD], it was never this bad,' said Sibisi. The department has not explained the reasons for late payments in the court documents and declined to answer GroundUp's questions. Many of FOSA's members have recently had to shut their doors because they did not have enough money to keep their centres running, says Sibisi. According to court papers, Sakhokwethu Crèche has still not received subsidy grant payments for January, February and March of 2024, and March and April of this year. Phumelela Crèche and Zenzeleni Crèche have not received any payments since before December 2024. According to their court papers, these late payments have led to staff not being paid and some being laid off. The centres have had to reduce child intake due to parents not being able to pay the fees. Thembekile Ndlovu, the principal of Zenzeleni Crèche, told GroundUp the centre has had to lay off skilled staff whose salaries they can no longer afford to pay. To feed the children, Ndlovu has had to pay for groceries out of her pocket and take out personal loans. The centre has also had to turn down parents who cannot afford to pay the basic fee, says Ndlovu. Under normal circumstances, the grant from the department would cover the fees for many of these children. Sinamuva, a crèche located in Inanda that Sibisi manages, is one of the 275 centres listed in the court papers. The creche has not received its subsidy for the last two months, leaving Sibisi with no choice but to use his own money to keep the centre going. Groundup visited Sinamuva last week. Sibisi said that they have had to start finding cheaper alternatives to feed the children, deviating from their usual nutritional plan. Some days, they have had to ask parents to pack lunches for their children, which not all of them can afford. The children's toilets also have no seats because the department had instructed the centre to replace the adult seats with children's seats, but the centre does not have enough money to buy new ones. Sisile Khoza, principal of Ntukwini pre-school, which is also on the list, said the department owes her centre over six months of subsidies. This has caused the centre to quickly run into debt as it now owes many people payment, such as day labourers, says Khoza. 'We are struggling to survive here because we are in the rural areas and most of the parents are not employed, only relying on the government child support grant,' said Khoza. According to the list, the creche is currently owed R138,000 by the department. This article first appeared on GroundUp. Read the original article here.
