“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” —Oprah Winfrey

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, prosperous 2022.

More about Dormehl Phalane Property Group

'We have several puppy’s in our care at the moment and we are desperately needing puppy pellets - if you can spare a bag, please assist us. You can drop the donations at the kennels - you can also drop them in the hold if we are not there.'

More from uMngeni SPCA

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! A big thank you for all the support you have shown us throughout this year. From the Giovision team, we hope that you have a joyful festive season with family & friends.

Wishing all our dear clients a very happy, blessed Christmas. We wish you a wonderful 2022 that will be brimming with good health and happiness. May you always feel loved and cherished and remember how precious you are to us all.

More about CG Carers

This Common Reedbuck came into our care about 5 months ago. He has started to come out of that awkward teenage stage and is growing into a young ram.

How do we know that he is almost ready for release? Well firstly, he will soon be weaned as he is spending more time grazing happily on the green grass in the camp.

Secondly, he has grown into his long legs and has been gaining plenty of muscle. Lastly, and the most exciting news is that his horns have begun to grow. 

The horns of antelope are made of keratin, which is the same material that fingernails and hooves are made of and are fast-growing! 

We love what we do, and how we do it...

Why not join our Custodianship Program to show your support for the work we do? Anyone from kids to big businesses can join:
https://www.freemewildlife.org/custodian

Otherwise, if a particular story has touched your heart, and you would like to donate directly to our animal care and vet bills, you are welcome to donate directly through these channels:

FreeMe Wildlife
First National Bank
Branch code: 220 725
Account number: 6214 1246 068

PAYPAL ACCOUNT:
http://paypal.me/FreeMeWildlife

PAYFAST ACCOUNT:
http://www.freemewildlife.org/donate

SWIFT CODE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS:
FIRNZAJJ

Contact number: 033 330 3036

www.freemewildlife.org

More about FreeMe Wildlife

'We need your help.

On Saturday the 18th of December 2021, seven members of the team were on their way to work when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which tragically resulted in two fatalities and one severely injured staff member. This devastating event has left behind small kids and elderly dependants. The surviving team members bear emotional scars and require urgent on-going therapy and support.

This is the start to a long road of recovery for The Barn Owl family of fourteen. Unfortunately we do not have the expertise to provide the level of support the team needs to heal and recover.

The proceeds will go to clinical trauma therapy as well as financial support for the families left behind. Our priority is mental health - in instances like this, it's typically neglected and we cannot stress enough the importance of ensuring that our team has the opportunity to process their trauma with professionals.

To Buyi and Max, you will be sorely missed. You brought so much positive energy to our kitchen and joy to our lives. Prince, all we can hope for is that you make a full recovery - the whole team is rooting for you!

We have the most amazing loyal customers who've taken us this far, the rest of the team need your support now more than ever. To all the people who have reached out offering their help - this is where we need it the most.

Any donations will go a long way to assist Sandile, Lelo, Philip, Zanele, Thando, Ngenzi, Faith, Obama, Sone and Simon.

Lots of love, The Barn Owl team' 

Donate here

On Saturday the Angels' Care Team handed out 400 Christmas presents and food parcels to children in need. Each present was packed with so much love and made possible thanks to the following St Anne's Diocesan College, Hilton College, St Charles College, The LEGO Foundation, Truda Foods, Sunfield Home, Janni & George, Dargle Valley Deli and SO many incredible individuals who dropped off items and donated money. It was months in the making and worth every second to see the PURE JOY and excitement.

Each gift contained 1. A facecloth 2. Soap 3. Toothpaste 4. Toothbrush 5. Vaseline 6. Sanitary pads for all the teenage girls 7. Deodorant for all the older children as well as an age appropriate gift and bag. It is so heartwarming to see how much each item means to these kids, things so many of us take for granted.

We can't thank everyone who was involved enough. What a special way to end a very difficult year. I am still smiling from ear to ear knowing that these children felt so loved and cared for.

We hope everyone has a very safe and special Christmas with those you love.

More about Angel's Care Centre

RESULTS: The monthly Halfway Toyota Howick drawn trips competition was played on Wednesday, 8 December. The winners were Mabel Tully, Piet van Rensburg and Petro Castle. The runners-up were Peter Burton, Chantal D’Hotman and Neil Birdsey. Well done!

On Saturday, we sadly bid farewell to Margie Wheelwright who, over the years, has faithfully represented Halfway Toyota Howick every month. Margie will be missed by our members. We look forward to the next Salesperson from Halfway Howick Toyota who will be representing the company in the future.

FORTHCOMING DECEMBER SPONSORED COMPETITIONS
Wednesday, 15: Annual Prize-giving will take place after tabs in, Dress Code: Casual. This will be followed by a braai. Further details are contained in a Whatsapp sent to all members..

Tuesday, 21: J Leslie Smith Drawn 2-4-2. Start time 08h30. Pre-entry required by Saturday, 18 Dec. An entry list is available in the club. As this will be our final event of the year, dress in the spirit of the season.

We, the committee and members of Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club, thank each and every one of our loyal sponsors for their continued support over the past year and wish them all a Merry Christmas.

More about Umgeni Waterfall Bowling Club

Dear UCSI Supporters

The UCSI continues to play a significant role in our community fight against crime. The support offered to Security companies, SAPS and Law Enforcement and even the CPF groups is critical in monitoring who is moving in and out of our areas. The UCSI has been able to assist SAPS and the community with valuable support and information.

UCSI Operational Stories

01 Nov: A vehicle was spotted in Damagtenburg with people and dogs. This is a big red flag so vehicle was loaded to system for observation and movement in the Karkloof and surrounding areas. It was eventually stopped in Karkloof by local resident and Magma security. Vehicle occupants found to be actually looking for a missing person involved in separate poaching incident from previous month. This vehicle has been cleared and removed from system.
A quick informative photo sent to the local security and a vehicle is cleared

01 Nov: A suspected stolen vehicle activated a camera between Mpophomeni and Merrivale. Security companies and SAPs quickly responded by setting up watch and monitor posts on the N3 off ramps to Pmb. Vehicle evaded all off-ramps from Merrivale to Pmb. Sompisi security followed and spotted vehicle in Hayfields area on N3. A stop was made with assistance from another security co from Pmb. Vehicle was eventually escorted to Alex SAP for processing.
Well done to our partner Sompisi Security.

12 Nov: Another suspected stolen vehicle activated cameras in Howick area going towards Hilton. Hilton response group activated by member of Knight security. Vehicle followed by KSS and SAP, Backed up by Magma, Sompisi and MI7. Vehicle stopped on Cedara rd. Shots fired and one suspect fled on foot. A search for single suspect unsuccessful. 3 suspect detained by SAP. Vehicle used actually not stolen, the number plate used on front was from a stolen vehicle. Firearms and ammunition confiscated.
Well done Lance and Hilton response team.

13 Nov: I have found a vehicle that continuously travels through Currys Post area during curfew hours. It also seems to be around during the times that farmers report livestock missing. Now I have loaded this vehicle so that we can monitor it in future but here is our problem, There is no response group available to report suspicious movement too.
Without a response our information is void.

13 Nov: Hilton response group held a training exercise using cameras and groups to track and observe suspect vehicles.
A fun and informative morning was had by all.

17 Nov: Today we did not make use of our camera system. Today our operational WhatsApp group was used to co-ordinate teams to assist with a farm attack in Boston area. Information and positions shared by all teams to get medical attention on scene as fast as possible and security teams to form net to catch perpetrators. Unfortunately suspects not caught but victim was treated on scene and taken to hospital where full recovery was made.
Sharing of information and pooling all resources saves lives.

24 Nov: Deon traveling through Karkloof area spotted dogs and handler in the veld next to road. A call onto Karkloof response team we had two Magma vehicles searching the area. Person found and cleared, he was looking for his cattle that had escaped. Magma suggested that dogs be returned to home and not used in the search.
I could have saved an Oribi today....

25 Nov: A suspect stolen vehicle activated cameras in Hilton area. Confirmation of vehicle been sought was made and search of Hilton area located the vehicle within half an hour. It was impounded by Flying squad police, assisted by KSS member.
Quick communication, quick arrest.

November was a quiet month on the positive activation. But this did not mean that it was a quiet month for Security services and SAPs. There is a substantial increase in vehicle crime towards month end. We are expecting Livestock crime and poaching to increase during the festive season as well.

Be safe and vigilant at all times. If something feels "off" report it to your local CPF, Security or SAPs member, no matter how small.
You could be saving a life that you will never know about.

Other news from the office: We are moving our office desk down the hall to form a hub point with HDLA, Fire protection and Midlands security. The projected Ops room is almost fully kitted out, so soon we will have a centralized point of contact for all information sharing.
Thank you to HDLA for assistance and I-Uncapped for moving all our communication'into the new office

Affiliated security companies
The UCSI welcomes Magma Security who have joined Sompisi Protection Services, Knight Security Solutions (KSS) and Ballid Security as subscribing security companies to the UCSI.

How can you get involved?
The UCSI will not be sustainable without monthly community support from business entities, shopping centers, hospitals, schools, estates, security companies and private individuals. Please join the UCSI as a contributing member. There are still some critical gantries that need to be erected – primarily in the Merrivale and Mpophomeni areas.

Contact Deon from the UCSI by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or whatsapp 063 068 9652 for more information on how to join and contribute. Private individuals from R50pm and business entities from R300pm. Affiliated members have access to ask for assistance in any reported crime involving a vehicle.
We may assist, to look for wayward teenager children, but they could end up cutting our lawn for a couple of months.

The UCSI is also able to issue Section 18A certificates for CAPEX and OPEX donations of any amount.

Stay safe – we got this!

Yours sincerely
Deon Tegg Operations Manager

The UCSI Board of Directors
Themba Ndulini (Chairperson), Krish Ramkuber and Terence James

More about UCSI

NEW YEAR – NEW TYRES. If you make 1 resolution for the New Year – let it be that you’ll take better care of your tyres!

We’re here to help you keep that resolution. Talk to us today about our wide range of top quality tyres at prices you can trust, and our tyre care services.'

More from Hi-Q

A Red-chested Cuckoo was dropped off at FreeMe Wildlife. 

This bird had an unfortunate encounter with a domestic cat. Thankfully, no obvious wounds were found but the bird has suffered losing many of its feathers. 

Cat bites can be fatal, as the mouth of a cat is a breeding ground for bacteria, not to mention their sharp pinprick teeth that do not leave any evidence of a wound. To be safe, this bird will be placed on a short course of antibiotics to avoid infection. 

To find out a bit more about the lethal bacteria that cats carry in their saliva, here are a few informative links:
https://catsandbirds.ca/.../from-the-field-wild-birds.../
https://www.thriftyfun.com/Bacteria-From-Cat-Bites-Can-Be...
https://www.wildliferescueleague.org/.../cats-and-wildlife/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7376178/

We love what we do, and how we do it.

Why not join our Custodianship Program to show your support for the work we do? Anyone from kids to big businesses can join:
https://www.freemewildlife.org/custodian

Otherwise, if a particular story has touched your heart, and you would like to donate directly to our animal care and vet bills, you are welcome to donate directly through these channels:

FreeMe Wildlife
First National Bank
Branch code: 220 725
Account number: 6214 1246 068

PAYPAL ACCOUNT:
http://paypal.me/FreeMeWildlife

PAYFAST ACCOUNT:
http://www.freemewildlife.org/donate

SWIFT CODE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS:
FIRNZAJJ

Contact number: 033 330 3036

www.freemewildlife.org

More about FreeMe Wildlife

Thank you for all the support over this last year. Our little vet clinic has grown over this past year and this is thanks to the loyal support of all our super valued clients.

It has been a difficult year with Covid continuing to affect us all in many ways, so I feel we need to focus onn the positive aspects of our lives.

Di and I have travelled far and wide sterilising dogs and cats. We have had a wonderful year doing our welfare work for the following organizations:
Funda Nenja
Transkei Animal Welfare Initiative
Cats of Durban
Phoenix Animal Care and Treatment
Animal Anti Cruelty League

We would like to thank these organizations for all the good work that they do, and for all the pets’ lives that they change in a very positive way.

Thank you to each and every person who helps.

We are also excited to have our very own Veterinary Nurse on board now. Shelley and I have worked together on and off since we qualified from Onderstepoort. She is working for me full time and is always available for advice and a chat when necessary.

We are currently in the situation where we have outgrown our little clinic, but our landlords are busy building bigger premises for us with road frontage, and no stairs for our precious patients to walk up and down. We look forward to moving into our new premises early in the New Year.

I would like to remind everyone that the incidence of Rabies in KZN is very high. Please remember to vaccinate your pet against Rabies – this is a free service so everyone can and must get their pets done.

We do require you to make an appointment please.

Rabies kills people every month in South Africa, so we can’t afford to be complacent.

Rabies vaccinations can only be done on pets 12 weeks and older. If you are at all unsure about when your pet is due for vaccination, please give us a call, or whatsapp us a picture of your pet’s vaccination card so that we can check for you.

Parvovirus season is also upon us. It is vital to get your puppies vaccinated as soon as you get them. In an ideal situation we would like to vaccinate every puppy at 6, 9, 12 and 16 weeks. This is not always possible but please be aware that your puppy can catch this disease very easily. It is highly contagious but preventable.

Our trading hours during the festive season are as follows:
Friday 24 December – Closing at 12
Saturday 25 December – Closed
Monday 27 December – Closed
Tuesday to Thursday 28 – 31 December – we will be seeing patients on an appointment basis only, and will
not be on site at the clinic all the time. Please call or whatsapp us for an appointment and liaise with us.
Saturday 1 January – Closed

We would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year. Keep safe and we will see you all in
the New Year.

Kind Regards

Lee

More about Midmar Vet Clinic

Inspiring stories have the power to ignite a flame of hope in our lives that lights up the future. They help us explain our shared experiences of perseverance, triumph and change, and offer meaning and community in darker days. Planned to go into production towards the end of February 2022, Rocket Boy is a story so inspiring it is sure to capture the hearts of the world.

Produced by founder, executive producer and owner of Coal Stove Pictures - Wandile Molebatsi - Rocket Boy follows the uniquely African narrative of an exciting young black scientist Siyabulela Xuza who won The Order of the Baobab. This prestigious presidential award is given for outstanding innovation and distinguished service. The narrative centres around his journey of developing a low-cost form of rocket fuel and the obstacles and victories that he walked through.

“For me, this film is a celebration of African excellence. We forget that our continent has incredible stories of triumph and joy and that Africans have achieved remarkable things despite the heartache of some of our histories,” says Wandile.

It is Wandile’s quest in life to see more stories that shape a positive narrative of Africa like Rocket boy on our screens. He knows from working in the industry for decades that the talent of African creatives and writers is already internationally renowned. The key rests in making sure that investors can see our Film & High-End TV sector as bankable.

According to Wandile, if more local stories are to have their time to shine in the limelight there needs to be more buy-in from international investors and an easier way to connect African filmmakers to the international market. A turn-key option of how to secure financiers and finance models need to be made available to producers as ethically grounded in sharing the African narrative.

“Telling stories like Rocket Boy reminds me that being a South African producer can be such a privilege. One that is tough but absolutely worth it,” says Wandile.

Covid has had a massive impact on the way filmmaking and production is done in South Africa. While more obvious health and safety issues like budgeting for Covid Tests and having Covid Medics onset have been publicised, the evolution of the creative process during pre-production in South Africa has not been given credit.

Heads of the Department are learning how to share creative visions and schedules via online platforms, WhatsApp groups have become the new normal, and the lockdowns have taught film crews to respect the set more than ever before and cherish the power of collective collaboration.

“The industry has changed so much and I think more than anything, we have all learnt that teamwork makes the dream work. I know that is cheesy but the lengths that South African film professionals go through to make sure that projects are a success continuously makes me grateful for the people on my team. It reminds me that people are beyond essential to achieving any dream,” says Wandile.

The reality is that the energy and drive in the industry is buzzing and spreading to every corner of the country, not just in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Our local creatives hunger to be problem solvers has increased with the democratization of access to and power of platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram allowing creators to find refreshing ways to tell their stories.

After a long journey of taking the Rocket Boy project as far afield as Toronto and Cannes, Wandile couldn’t be happier that the film found its home with AAA Entertainment who have a passion for enabling African content to have an international impact.

Rocket Boy is an amazing opportunity to project a very African narrative of hope and optimism into an international audience currently exposed to a lot of negativity surrounding South Africa. Through this film and its captivating and transformational story, we showcase the strength of the African stories to shape how audiences around the world perceive our prosperity.

News supplied.

Jessica Molebatsi - fashion designer and founder of the JessicaJane label – believes in creating clothing that reflects a woman’s true value and feminine beauty.

Carving a niche for herself in Feminine Couture, Jessica’s passion is to help women feel confident, beautiful, and valued.

She believes that every woman has intrinsic worth, when expressed through clothing it unveils their true feminine nature and beauty to the world. By unveiling a woman’s self-worth, she is empowering women who wear a JessicaJane item to express who they are and feel more confident.

Jessica’s love affair with fashion started as a little girl upon a large cutting table where she sat playing with fabric and pretending to pin, while her grandmother lovingly crafted beautiful wedding gowns. In a world where Jessica spent hours in the company of her grandmother sewing, flipping through wedding magazines and unleashing her creativity, it was no surprise that she would choose to pursue a career in fashion design.

After a gap year, Jessica enrolled at the Durban University of Technology where she studied her first two years of a Bachelor of Arts degree in fashion design which she completed in Johannesburg at the London Institute of Fashion. Armed with a qualification, she went on to work as a Costume Designer on various feature films – which incidentally is where she met her future husband Actor and Executive Producer Wandile Molebatsi – however, something was missing.

Jessica’s talent for fashion design, which her grandmother always recognised within her, and desire for entrepreneurship, led to the creation of JessicaJane in 2010 which she started on the living room floor of her flat which she shared with a friend.

She recalls that in some ways she was always destined for entrepreneurship; as a young child she was always coming up with things to sell like posters, making lemonade and baking cupcakes. And while she was certainly excellent in the positions where she worked, Jessica didn’t feel completely satisfied.

Jessica loves the feeling of being the master of her own destiny, and while she agrees that starting a fashion label is a lot of hard work, she believes that the ability and potential to make your life what you want it to be, is the most appealing aspect of being an entrepreneur.

It took guts for Jessica to start out on her own because she had absolutely nothing in Johannesburg, no network, resources, or funding. All she had was a dream, lots of talent and determination. And it definitely paid off as her reputation has grown to where it is today where she is regarded as a top fashion designer of high-quality Feminine Couture.

Jessica has had the honour of creating a gown for Mama Winnie Mandela to wear to her 80th Birthday celebration and has also dressed local celebrities like Terry Pheto, Precious the Planner, Minnie Dlamini, Boity, Mrs SA Matapa Maila and Amanda Du Pont amongst others.

During this period of her life she married Wandile Molebatsi (6 July 2013) and started a family - their son, Elijah Aruna, was born in late 2014, and their daughter, Onalenna, arrived in 2017.

She continued to make JessicaJane items for clientele, however starting a family and running a business were definitely challenging, with her two young children taking priority. It was in 2019 when she had more time to dedicate to growing the JessicaJane brand, that she invested more energy into the business.

When Lockdown happened in 2020, as with everyone during this period, Jessica’s pace slowed down and it was in this reflective period that she conceptualised her new fashion label – Mother of Haute, a high-end made-to-order range that clients could choose from and have custom-fit to their unique figure.

Up until this point JessicaJane focused on creating two fashion products: one-of-a-kind event wear where she dressed many celebrities and successful businesswomen; and high-end wedding gowns. Jessica developed a reputation as the go-to fashion designer for African women who wanted a dress that uniquely paid homage to the traditional culture of the bride and groom, blending it elegantly with the fairy-tale style of dress the modern bride desires.

She had also gained traction with boutique stores and her clientele were requesting JessicaJane originals because of her high quality, unique designs and impressive precision sewing; lockdown provided the creative ignition Jessica needed to take her fashion brand to the next level.

And to new levels Jessica is definitely rising. She has been invited to show her unique Feminine Couture on the international runway in Paris for the February/March 2022 season of Paris Fashion Week. This is a massive accolade for a local fashion designer to be scouted and recognised for her unique fashion talent alongside other top international designers.

Speaking about the South African fashion industry, Jessica believes there is room for local designers to grow as the fashion market matures given the finances, technology and resources they need to create a thriving fashion house that has potential to be as big as Dior or Chanel. The local market is young compared to the international fashion centres like Paris, Milan and NYC, but she believes designers have the talent to break through.

Being catapulted from humble beginnings into the limelight to become one of South Africa’s top fashion designers, Jessica has always remained humble and true to herself and her purpose of creating designs that celebrate the unique feminine value that women bring to the world.

Her designs reflect feminine traits, energy and spirit, embracing feminine characteristics of radiance, thoughtfulness, collaboration, compassion, empathy, sensuality, and connection. Her signature style of Feminine Couture sets her apart and will serve her well as she aims at taking the JessicaJane brand international, fulfilling a dream sparked by one tiny stitch in her grandmother’s sewing room.

On young people wanting to become a fashion designer she believes that because you like fashion, it doesn’t mean you will be a good designer. The work is creative, but it is also very technical and has one of the highest dropout rates because of this. It is also time consuming and labour intensive. This means it can take a long time to get any form of reward, but she believes it is worth it in the long run. She recommends that it is good to team up or find a mentor who is good at business and who can bring a unique skill to what is known as a tough industry to break into.

Jessica believes that your uniqueness as a designer doesn’t always come from what you think it will be, it unfolds from trial and error. “One day you find that thing no one has done, and it works for you. You found it and it found you. When that happens, think creatively about it and expand your unique edge into everything you do.”

Jessica is inspired by the past, the history of fashion, the why’s, the origin of fabrics and why things were created as they were. She values optimism and positivity, which she has embraced in her designs and also in her personal life.

As a white European woman by descent who married a half Xhosa, half Tshwana man, Jessica embraces her multicultural life and family. She believes that immersing herself in many cultures provides her with a unique perspective to her fashion designs. She is optimistic about the future of her business, her life and of South Africa with all its challenges – after all it is the place she calls home.

When she is not working and creating designs, you will find Jessica at home with her two young children and husband, baking, connecting, playing and just being in the moment with the ones she loves the most.

JessicaJane Launches Her Effortlessly Delicate Summer Range 

Inspired by Venetian and Parisian Summer Fashion

We are granted almost limitless opportunities to express ourselves through fashion, yet nothing compares to the undeniable feeling of beauty that an outfit that truly fits who you are gives you. Jessica Molebatsi - fashion designer and founder of the JessicaJane label - believes that every outfit should be an opportunity for the world to discover us as we want to be. That every woman deserves to feel as comfortable as she does beautiful and her latest summer range is a celebration of that beauty and the power of the feminine form.

In her latest range which is made to fit each client, Jessica was inspired to distil the feeling of elegance that we find in Venetian and Parisian summer fashion. The result is a range that is as light as a summer breeze with a presence that can carry the most regal of women. 

“I got my inspiration where I always do - the women who wear my clothes. I want to be their greatest friend and ally and create clothing that takes everything they wished their clothes make them feel - and brings it to life. ”

A welcome break from relaxed denim shorts, t-shirts and the colours of summers past, Jessica’s latest collection swirls with comfortable sophistication. She achieves a wonderful balance between feminine elegance and soft playfulness with her subtle use of satins and delicate cotton voile. Her use of iconic summery cotton and muted patterns dance with her deliberate cuts to create the perfect summer smoothness.

Her favourite element of this collection is the dreamy cream satin and the super-soft floral print that just sigh with luxury.

 “I think with summer fashion, we want to rejoice in the feeling of happiness and warmth and lightness, and I think nothing feels quite as light and happy as voile”

Her favourite is the full cream satin suit. Classy yet comfortable and strikingly understated. Other statement pieces include the floral super soft satin pants with the floral super soft satin crop. This outfit is incredibly comfortable, and doesn’t even require ironing! Making it the perfect pocket-sized travel companion.

The best garments allow us to say something about ourselves. Assembling your wardrobe is a meaningful exercise where we literally wear our hearts on our sleeves. And our hearts are full of life and love for this collection. 

To view her collection visit www.Jessicajane.co.za or follow her on Instagram @jessicajane_molebatsi.

Contact via WhatsApp +27 72 526 9474

Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

News supplied.

The journey of grief can be a long and difficult road. At Oakleigh Funeral Home, we aim to be by your side every step of the way. We guide you in practical matters, advise on the grieving process and handle your loved one with dignity and care – including the handling and transportation.

We maintain our fleet of vehicles with the same professionalism and care as we do everything else in our business. This might seem fairly obvious, but our attention to detail both respects the community we serve and ensures excellent service. We go so far as to carry a SECOND spare tyre on long distance trips, for extra peace of mind for all concerned.

We are also very serious about safety, especially in this day and age as we move around on our roads, and this is even more critical as we transport very precious cargo - namely loved ones who have passed away.

To this end we go to great lengths to ensure our drivers are well trained and held accountable - all our vehicles are tracked and monitored.

More about Oakleigh Funeral Homes

Chad le Clos kept the SA flag flying with a podium performance on the opening day of the World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

The former Olympic champion who is still recovering from a knee injury said before the start of the event, he was hoping to “nick a little bronze” and he did just that, finishing third behind Italy’s Alberto Razzetti in the 200m butterfly.

After a great start, Le Clos led through the first 50m but had dropped out of the top three by the turn at 100m and at 150m. He edged ahead in the final 50m though to out-touch American Trenton Julian for the bronze.

Razzetti took the gold in 1:49.06, with Switzerland’s Noe Ponti second in 1:49.81, while Le Clos took the bronze in 1:49.84. That took the South African stalwarts medal total at the World Short Course Championships to an incredible 16, dating back to his first in 2010.

Meanwhile, Razzetti was thrilled with the result. “It’s incredible, I’m speechless, it’s a great result, the time is incredible,” said the Italian, who recently claimed the European short course title in the 200m butterfly in national record time. “I was feeling so good today so I tried until the end and I made it,” added the 22-year-old who also added 200m individual medley bronze to his haul later in the evening.

Le Clos had qualified second fastest for the 200m butterfly final after winning his morning heat in 1:50.63. He’s been entered in both the 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly heats on Friday morning.

The evening’s proceedings were highlighted by a world record performance, Siobhán Haughey claiming Hong Kong’s first ever swimming world title in the 200m freestyle in a blisteringly quick time of 1:50.31. Along with the gold, the Olympic silver medallist also collected the US$50,000 cheque for breaking a world record.

Earlier in the day, another member of South Africa’s small team in Abu Dhabi, Michaela Pulford, finished ninth in her 200m freestyle heat in 2:03.67. That meant she was 34th overall and did not progress to the evening final. The 17-year-old will be back in action in the 800m freestyle heats on Friday.

News supplied.

For more ideas on how you can LOVE LOCAL FIRST and LOVE LOCAL REAL HARD, read the latest Howick newsletter.  If you buy into the concept of supporting small businesses more often than not, please choose to subscribe to our newsletter so we can help you to be a champion of the awesome entrepreneurs in Howick and surrounds.

At Oakleigh Funeral Home, our staff uphold our company values, one of them being compassion – ensuring that whether they are guiding a family through a loss, or assisting someone in putting their affairs in order compassion is emphasised.

Our removal teams are consistently complimented on their “bedside manner”, quiet, calm, efficient, and loving care that is so important at a time for those having lost a loved one, and when feeling so vulnerable.

We also have adopted a very professional approach to consulting and assisting families through the obstacles and challenges that may occur along the way, when pre-planning your funeral or putting funeral insurance in place.

Our families and clients are not just a number, but as we see it, an opportunity to walk alongside and really help. We aim to not just pay lip service to going the "extra mile" but constantly find ways to do so.

More about Oakleigh Funeral Home