The opening stage of this year's Takealot Jock Classic will be slightly easier than last year, but competitors will need to keep something in reserve during the three-stage one-day road cycle race on July 13. That is the view of ASG Events chief executive Erick Oosthuizen, who confirmed that Brondal Road, about 20km into the race, would again be part of the route. Taking place from Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, one of the country's longest-running cycling events will cover 150km, but has the unique format of set starting times for each stage. It includes a whopping 2 900m of ascent. Starting and finishing at the Mbombela Stadium, the route takes the riders through the Lowveld towns of White River and Sabie. It then includes the gruelling Spitskop and Long Tom Pass climbs in the latter two stages. So cyclists might be grateful that the 40.9km opening leg has been eased somewhat by the inclusion of Brondal Road. Oosthuizen said the route had a slightly different look from last year. "Brondal Road was inaccessible due to roadworks last year, but its inclusion has made the undulating nature of the stage easier and flatter," he said. "However it will still be fairly cool in the early part of the race, which gets under way at 6.30am." He added that he thought the 45.3km second stage from White River to Sabie could be decisive in determining the final outcome and riders would need to ensure they were prepared for that. "If you lose ground on stage two during the Spitskop climb you'll lose time which I feel contenders should guard against," said Oosthuizen. "Admittedly the Long Tom Pass on stage three is a tough climb and cyclists will have already ascended 2 000m by the time they get there. "But it comes early in the stage and there is still time to get back if you are slightly off the pace." After the undulating nature of stage one, he said, it was a fairly long uphill battle on the second leg to Sabie "with some lactic in your …
126 million litres of milk consumed “loose” in South Africa every year
126 million litres of milk consumed “loose” in South Africa every year This twentieth World Milk Day on June 1, a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) day, once again encouraged milk and dairy consumption as part of a daily diet. Milk and dairy are important sources of nutrition for many of Africa’s inhabitants yet, in South Africa where more than 1,7 billion litres are produced annually, more than 126 million litres of milk are consumed untreated and unpacked, also known as loose milk, according to BMi Research. “Loose milk cannot be guaranteed safe,” says Stefan Fägerang, MD of Tetra Pak Southern Africa. Milk contains nutritional elements, such as calcium and vitamin D, that help bone and teeth development and strength. It contains a lot of water and is excellent for rehydration, which is why athletes favour it as a post-workout drink. Yet, loose milk, which is poured directly from the milkman’s container into a jar or plastic bag, likely contains harmful bacteria and additives. Just being exposed to light and oxygen either kills some of the nutritional content of milk or fosters growth of pathogens, which are germs that are harmful to humans. “Many people believe that boiling milk sterilises it,” says Fägerang. “But that’s not true. The temperature isn’t high enough to destroy the micro-organisms and bacteria and boiling it for too long destroys the nutrients. That’s why it’s important to use a scientifically-proven process that raises the temperature high enough to kill the pathogens but for a short enough time that the natural product’s nutrients survive intact through the packaging process.” Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk is heated to between 135 and 140 degrees Celsius for just four seconds before it is immediately cooled. The process takes place in a sealed and commercially-sterile environment. “Our carton packs have six layers to keep the product safe during transportation, when it’s on shelves, and once it’s in …
Feature race remains popular Jock Classic option
The feature three-stage option in the Takealot Jock Classic road race remains the popular choice among cyclists for this year's event, which will take place in Mpumalanga on July 13. Even with shorter options on offer for the Takealot Jock Classic road race in July, the feature event of doing three stages in one day remains the popular choice for most cyclists. This is the view of ASG Events chief executive Erick Oosthuizen after the race organisers announced last month that riders could do one, two or three stages. The full distance for the July 13 race is 155km and will take place in Nelspruit, White River and Sabie in Mpumalanga. There are specific breaks for each stage, which adds to the challenge as cyclists have to go through the process of warming up for the next leg. Oosthuizen said there was plenty of interest in one of South Africa's longest-running races, even though it is still just more than two months away. "The entries are coming in steadily for all three distances, but the main interest is still in the feature three-stage event," he said. "But opening up the options for riders to do shorter distances has been a sound move. "For instance, I had a call this week from a guy in Australia who only wants to do two stages, so I think it caters for more types of riders." The unique challenge of learning how to manage three stages in one day remained a big incentive, added Oosthuizen. "It's a classic race in the Lowveld and the fact that it is one of the oldest events in the country underlines its popularity. "It really is a magical kind of riding experience. Although it's a bit cold in the early morning, the Lowveld winter provides the sort of warmth which allows you to find your rhythm pretty quickly." He reminded cyclists that the benefit of entering two or three stages would be that meals were included, which were so essential to maintaining your strength on the long haul. Many leading cyclists have won the Jock …
Engen Integrated Energy Centre uplifts Bushbuckridge community.
Engen in partnership with the Department of Energy and the Bushbuckridge local municipality officially launched an Integrated Energy Centre (IeC) in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga on 12 April. South Africa’s Department of Energy (DoE) gave a mandate to all major South African oil companies to contribute towards job creation and community development. As part of its Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Plan, the government identified Integrated Energy Centres (IeC) as one of many economically sustainable solutions to address poverty nodal areas. The roll out of the IeC programme is one of the vehicles that the DoE has embarked upon to contribute to rural development and the fight against poverty. Commenting at the launch ceremony, Mr Jeff Radebe, Minister of Energy said: “I sincerely appreciate the funding of approximately R18 million from Engen in setting up this facility. I also want to congratulate Engen in completing their first IeC project and encourage them to do more.” Engen responded to the DoE’s call to build the IeC, as it dovetails with their Black Economic Empowerment ethos - as a company that embraces transformation as a key enabler for socio-economic change. “This Integrated Energy Centre has been donated by Engen for the people of Bushbuckridge and the surrounding areas,” said Engen Managing Director and CEO, Yusa’ Hassan in an address at the opening. “It is our sincere hope that the residents access and benefit from the affordable and safe energy services that the centre provides. Hassan assured the community that the IeC will be operated on solid business principles by a Trust, which includes representatives from the community. “All profits from fuel and convenience sales will be placed into a trust account, run by three elected trustees, who have been approved by the municipality, Engen and the DoE. The trustees will identify relevant community upliftment projects to fund from the proceeds.” Hassan added that it is Engen’s …
Jock Classic offers cyclists several options
The Takealot Jock Classic, one of South Africa’s oldest road races, will offer a number of options when cyclists take the opportunity to stretch their muscles in mid-winter in Mpumalanga. Covering a distance of 155km, this event offers a unique package in which the overall distance is divided into three stages, all taking place on the same day – July 13. This deviates from the normal practice in cycling, where one-day races traditionally cover a distance around the 100km mark. But race organisers ASG Events are making sure that nobody gets left out this year by catering for various choices within the feature event, which takes place in Nelspruit, White River and Sabie. “We have decided this year to offer three options to those who want to compete in one of the country’s classics,” said ASG chief executive Erick Oosthuizen. “So this year you can do all three stages, for which we will naturally have the overall champions, or you can do the last two stages, or just the last stage. We feel this will cater for most riders.” However, there is a built-in incentive if you ride in two or three stages, because these come with meals, he added. The stages will cover 48km, 45km and 62km respectively and there will be starting times for each leg. Oosthuizen also said they would again have a junior men’s category, which was introduced for the first time last year. “We are keeping that because we would very much like to support cycling development and this fits in with our views and objectives.” Coming at a time of the year when the event calendar is not that full he felt it was an ideal opportunity to get in some decent winter training. “Fortunately, the weather is so good in the Lowveld that it is not a problem, while the race offers a unique challenge in incorporating three stages in one day. “Of course, the format of the event does throw up a few challenges, but it’s a great day out on the bike and you can learn a lot about your own …
Engen supports Caring4Girls at Lekete Secondary School
Lekete Secondary School in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga is the first of 30 schools to benefit from Engen’s R2.5 million cash injection to the Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls programme. Engen and Caring4Girls visited the school on April 11th providing female learners with sanitary towel packs to help keep them in school during their monthly cycles. Caring4Girls currently reaches 750,000 girls throughout South Africa and aims to support 1 million girls in 2019 and 2 million by 2020. Engen Managing Director and CEO, Yusa’ Hassan stressed the value of education and how important it is to ensure that all young girls are empowered and have the opportunity to realise their full potential. “We cannot thrive as a society if some of our female learners are left behind, which is why we are very proud to partner with the Imbumba Foundation and contribute to this very meaningful initiative,” commented Hassan. Engen’s Head of Transformation and Stakeholder Engagement, Unathi Magida said it is important for Engen to actively support and take care of the communities in which the company operates. “At Engen we strongly believe that a country which is educated is a country that will prosper. By supporting these young girls, we will ensure that their confidence and dignity is retained and that they never have to miss school because of their monthly cycle. Most importantly, these girls will receive education and training around dealing with puberty, self-care and pregnancy avoidance, aimed at boosting their confidence. Education is a key enabler to transform lives, which is why we are so passionate about this initiative.” Lekete Secondary School was selected to benefit from the programme as the school is in close proximity to the Bushbuckride Integrated Energy Centre (IeC), a partnership between Engen, the Department of Energy and the Bushbuckridge local municipality, which officially launched on the 12th April. More good news The Integrated Energy Centre, …
Nic Von Rupp: XXL Nominee On Surfing The Left At Mavericks
The legendary wave at Mavericks is a notorious beast, where some of the most famous rides in history have been claimed off the Northern Californian coast. Heading to tame the infamous wave, Nic Von Rupp lined up a trip of his dreams and along the way managed to pull of a historical feat that few before him have conquered. Mavericks is a raging A-frame wave with a chunky lip that is challenging and fast, even for the world’s best big wave surfers. Famously a left, the cold-water spot can produce a rare left and it was this challenge that Nic set his sights: “On my way to Mavericks, the only thing I could think of was going left out there.. that wave has so much potential, probably the meanest, biggest paddle approachable slab around. After 3 sessions out there, I quickly saw my dream of slipping into one of these beasts diminishing. So much risk involved.. you gotta be under it, dodging 20ft sets.. seems like all the energy of the right bends into the left and dumps into edge of the ledge. You get pounded, you go to deep dark places, scraping for your life. What about trying to knife a 9.9 into a steep ledge like this. But that’s what makes it special.”- Nic Von Rupp YouTube: https://youtu.be/AQHXXw_prlA CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. …
ULT.X And All The BMX Results From Sun City
ULT.X And A FULL PODIUM SWEEP IN BMX Sun City - It was another incredible BMX event last weekend, with ULT.X taking place at the Sun City Resort. Monster Energy's Pat Casey, Kevin Peraza, Ben Wallace, Alex Coleborn and Mike Varga were all in town and certainly hungry to win in this event, up against a huge line-up of riders from almost every continent. The super fun and tight setup at Sun City definitely pushed all the riders to think out of the box, with a lot of emphasis put on catching transition as smooth as possible, without putting in too much pedal exertion in between the ramps. Our boys made light work of it, resulting in a full Monster Energy podium sweep from Pat Casey, Bryce Tryon and Kevin Peraza. Mike Varga and Ben Wallace wasted no time kitting up to lock in some big lines on the park. Wallace, blasting his signature cranked lookbacks and downside whips, as well as some new Can-Can 360 variations, impressing spectators and competitors alike. Fresh off a 2nd Place finish at The Night Harvest in Cape Town, Varga braved the 35+ degree heat and put in some solid runs, packed with his magical bag of tricks, like stretched Superman whips and tons of crazy looking spins and under flip transfers, ending him just off the podium in a the 4th Place spot. "This was my first trip to South Africa and I absolutely loved it here,” said Varga. “Both contests I rode at had amazing vibes and you'll definitely see me coming back in the future!” The nicest guy with the biggest smile in BMX, always doing the wildest tricks with the biggest smile on his face, Kevin Peraza definitely brought the most original lines to the contest this year. From 270-downside whip drop-ins, nose-bonk combos for days. Not forgetting those crowd-pleasing Superman seat-grabs and 360 whips, to tables. Kevin is the man, and it was great to have him back in South Africa after missing the contest last year. “I’m humbled to end up on the podium next to Pat and Bryce,” said …
Kwikspace places first operational buildings for Mpumalanga mine
Kwikspace was contracted to manufacture, supply and erect 10 mobile units to for use at a new mine in Mpumalanga. Consisting of four single-wide and six double-wide prefabricated modular units, they were the first operational buildings to be placed on site. All units, which provide structures for four different applications on the mine, were completed and handed over during 2018, within a specified three-month timeline. One double-wide unit (7 x 7 m) is used as the induction office located near the entrance and five of them make up the site office block. Two of the single-wide containers (3.5 x 3.5 m) form the ablutions for the office block, and of the remaining two single-wide units, one is used for the security guard hut at site entrance and the other serves as the ablution facilities for the guard hut and induction office. The project was awarded on 1 November 2017 following a tender process. Part of the successful tender, according to Kwikspace Senior Accounts Manager Gerry De Beer, was due to Kwikspace’s product quality, quality of workmanship and willingness to work with the client to meet their exact requirements within budgetary constraints. In addition to the standard electrical and plumbing connections, Kwikspace was commissioned to source and install non-standard items specified by the client. These included air-conditioners, security bars and gates, verandas and walkways, external lighting, diffused internal LED lights and several high level hydro-boilers for instant boiling water. To ensure that the handover of the units was a seamless procedure, a complete snag checklist was agreed to by both parties prior to building handover. “This ensured an effortless handover subsequent to the final building checks carried, both of which were carried out by client representatives and two senior Kwikspace personnel,” De Beer explains. “In addition to ensuring all units were installed and equipped to spec, we aim for continued client satisfaction, which is …
New Visuals : D-Man – Same Girls (Official Music Video)
https://youtu.be/eo95uQjJeIs D-Man gives us his brand new music video for his recent single release titled "Same Girls". The Jack Showbiz directed Visuals are a complimentary piece to the banging record which displays D-Man walking around the neighborhood with his friends telling a story of a lady he used know while his being reminiscent of his encounter with different girls which has him concluding that he could be one of them in a vice versa situation. The Mpumalanga based artist is bringing something fresh in an industry that seeks versatility with his way of connecting the old skool sounds with the new and forming one sound that is distinctive to him. From: Mthokozisi Gumbi More Info here: https://m.soundcloud.com/dmanworldwide CLICK HERE to submit a Video Press Release to MyPR. …