Our
website was hacked
Mtunzini's
own home-grown website has been off-line for
the past few weeks after it became a victim
of the Middle-East conflict and was hacked by
an anti-Israeli Turkish group. Visitors to Mtunzini's
homepage were greeted with a barrage of abuse
against Israel and loud Arab music. It's uncertain
how the hacker managed to penetrate beyond all
the secret codes and passwords to get to the
website but the shiftiness of a hacker's mind
knows no barriers, it would seem.
It's still our goal to develop an online newspaper
which keeps residents informed, involved and
inspired.
The website - which is a work in progress -
will continue to showcase the best that Mtunzini
has to offer and promote the region as one of
the finest tourist destinations in KwaZulu-Natal.
www.mtunzini.co.za
is a 'work-in-progress' and not all the
pages may yet be online.
COMING
SOON!
Visit our virtual museum of Mtunzini's
history
What
building in Mtunzini is this? Watch this space
MTUNZINI
BUSH RUN
Everyone was a champ on the Mtunzini
Bush Run and the 16-km trail through some pristine
coastline was enjoyed by all - including Bruce
Fordyce (second from right) who finished 85th
in a time of 1:40:22.
Bush 'n beach challenge Oh
Boy! Thank heavens I never missed this one.
The 3rd Mtunzini Bush Challenge was a cracker!!.
Club runners from all over KwaZulu-Natal came
to take on the challenge, and wow did they enjoy
it.
Over 400 runners and their supporters turned up
on a crisp, cool windy morning and gathered around
specially prepared fires nervously waiting for
the 7.00am start.
A chilling recording of a Fish Eagle's call marked
the beginning of the event which saw runners from
Glenwood, Savages, Queensborough, Chiltern, Nedbank,
Canon R/Bay, Zululand AC, Umhlatuze and Zululand
Multi Sport (to mention a few) take off at the
gun down to the golf course and the first of many
challenging climbs before making their way down
through the Umlalazi Nature Reserve.
Every athlete I spoke with had nothing but praise
for this well-organised race, awesome single track
scenery, breathtaking views of forest and sea,
not to mention the whales and dolphins sighted
on the beach stretch from “Doggy Beach”
to the boardwalk.
This really is one of the finest trail runs on
offer in Zululand, and with all accommodation
filled to capacity, local businesses must have
benefited from the hive of activity over the long
weekend.
Bruce and Jill Fordyce left on Monday morning
after a busy weekend of run, fun and entertainment,
promising to return next year to what he called
one of the best runs he has done in recent times.
Well done Mtunzini Athletic Club! Let's keep up
the good vibe and high standards we have once
again set, and look forward to a bigger and better
event next year. - Paul Mannix
Annual
Birding Weekend
is 'world class' A
'full-house' of birders took part in the 8th Mtunzini
Birding Weekend recently and - with perfect winter
weather and all of the 'small five' ticked off
- left with glowing reports and praise for Mtunzini
and the Conservancy who organise the annual event.
Originally advertised as a three-day guided visit
with a capacity of 24 birders, the organisers
had to squeeze in an extra four eager birders
due to the popularity of the event.
Daff Untiedt, who organised the event, said they
could not have wished for better conditions for
birding at Ongoye, Dlinza, Umlalazi Nature Reserve,
Amatikulu Nature Reserve and Twinstreams Environmental
Centre, who hosted the event.
"I'm a mediocre birder," said a satisfied
Maureen Rowlands, of Hilton, "but I saw 93
species and had four lifers. How great is that?"
The weekend also included a 'world class' talk
and slide presentation by top birder and Roberts
Birds editor, Hugh Chittenden.
For enquiries about future birding events, please
contact Daff
Untiedt.
Birders on the annual Mtunzini Birding Weekend
tick off
the 'small five' at the Umlalazi Nature Reserve.
MTUNZINI
ON BBC 2
Mtunzini pulls it off
Mtunzini's venture into show business
proved an enormous success
when it made a very credible setting for the violence
and corruption of Nigeria's oil industry in
the TV series Blood and Oil which was broadcast
on BBC2 recently.
Originally known as 'Angel' while the movie was
being filmed in Mtunzini in November 2008, the mini-series
has been renamed Blood and Oil and deals with the
lives of two women as they investigate the circumstances
that led to the death of four oil workers taken
hostage by a militant group opposed to the exploitation
of the oil-rich Niger Delta.
The film bears a striking resemblance to real-life
events in the West Africa oil business where corruption
runs deep and everyone at the top takes a cut -
leaving nothing for the man and woman in the street.
Mtunzini is almost unrecognisable in some scenes
as it is transformed into the steamy, tropical oil-rich
delta with mysterious waterways used by the militant
groups for their attacks on the multi-national oil
companies.
Sam Wollastan, tv critic on The Guardian, called
the movie 'utterly thrilling' and went on to write
that the story 'grabs you by the cojones'.
'It looks like a terrifying country', he writes
after viewing the film.
THE FAT CAT GRILL
Mon-Fri (excl Pub holidays)
18hoo-20h30
It will specialise in STEAKS, SEAFOODS, PASTAS
& BURGERS
THE FAT CAT
COFFEE SHOP
Mon-Fri
08h00-18h00
Sat, Sun and Pub holidays
08h00-14h30
Station Road
MTUNZINI
Barge
Trips
• Sunset booze cruise
• Bird watching
• Braai on board
Enjoy
a relaxing barge trip on the scenic Umlalazi
River with knowledgeable host Bob Williamson 072
586 6936
Hippo
Printing & Design
Station Rd
MTUNZINI •
Internet Cafe
• Printing
• Gifts
Oh
Boy! Thank heavens I never missed this one.
