Irene Primary Fun Run/Walk
Irene Primary School will be having a Fun Run/Walk on the 8th of September 2012.

Registration for the 3km and 8km races can be done by printing the registration form and emailing it to pta@ireneprimary.co.za or dropped off at the school office on or before 5th of September 2012.

Entry Fees:
3km: R30
8km: R40

Race Rules:

1. All runners participate at their own risk and indemnify the organizers and sponsors of any liability claims by entering.
2. Marshalls and traffic officials must be obeyed at all times.
3. No seconding is permitted.
4. There’s no age restriction on this race.
5. Race starting times:
3 km 7:30am
8 km 8:00am
6. Race-day entries will take place at Irene Primary School from 6:30am until 5 minutes before the race.
7. Prize-giving will take place at 09:00 at Irene Primary School.

For more information please contact 012 667 1037/8 or email pta@ireneprimary.co.za

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Later in the month there is also the Clover Irene Spring Race hosted by Irene Road Running Club:

Clover Irene Spring Race

Irene Village Mall in conjunction with Clover and the Irene Road Running Club will be hosting the Clover Irene Spring Race on 22 September 2012.

Registration for the 5km, 10km and 21km races can take place online at www.irenerunner.co.za or www.enteronline.co.za.
You are also welcome to register at the following shops:
Sweat Shop Dunkeld 011 325 2567
Sweat Shop Fourways 011 467 5966
Sweat Shop Southdowns 012 665 0048
Run-A-Way Sport 012 361 3733
Bedford Runner 011 450 1847
Running Inn Pretoria 012 362 7322
Running In Kensington 011 615 0878
Centre Management Irene Village Mall 012 662 4446

Entry Fees:
5km: R30
10km: R40
21km: R50
GM: R30
GGM: Free
Temporary license: R30

Race Rules:
1. All runners participate at their own risk and indemnify the organizers and sponsors of any liability claims by entering.
2. All participants must wear a valid race number on the front and a valid 2012 license number on the back. Non-registered athletes have to purchase a temporary license. No license is required for the 5km race.
3. The race will take place under the rules of ASA, AGN and IAAF and all participants must wear club colors during the race, except if participating with a temporary license.
4. Marshalls and traffic officials must be obeyed at all times.
5. No seconding is permitted.
6. Minimum age of 15 on race day for the 10km and 16 years for the 21km.
7. Category winners must provide proof of age to qualify for prizes (ID or valid documentation).
8. There’s no age restriction for the 5km.
9. Athletes competing for category prizes must wear official age category Id (front and back of vest).
10. Foreign athletes must observe IAAF rule 4, paragraph 2.
11. Race starting times:
21 km 6:00am
10km 6:00am
5km 6:05am
12. Race-day entries will take place at Irene Village Mall from 4:30am until 5 minutes before the race.
13. Prize-giving will take place at 8:00am – 10km, 9:00 – 21km.
For more information please contact 012 654 0005 / 082 937 0733 / 083 284 4884

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries intends to declare a list of particular trees “Champion Trees” as protected under Section 12 (1) (a) and (b) of the National Forests Act, 1998. This list includes the existing list of declared Champion Trees as well as new nominations.

Eucalyptus Rooibloekom
(River red gum)
Location
Irene Farm Estate, Pretoria,
Gauteng
S25.87917
E28.212216

Estate land, parts of which were bought by prominent South African figures such as General Jan Smuts, with a variety of trees planted since the late 19th century.

Read full article, click here… 

Irene Lifts the “River Runs Through It” Cup

By Emile on Tue : 24 July, 2012

Irene Village Mall – Newsletter.

WITH LOVE There are only two days left to vote for your favourite love letter in our With Love competition on Facebook. The one with the most votes will win a romantic night for two at the Royal Elephant Hotel & Conference Centre, and a random lucky voter will win a R500 Gift Card just for voting! Go vote for your favourite by clicking on the “Be a Fan” Facebook link above.

CANSA SHAVATHON The Annual National CANSA Shavathon has become an event to diarize for a great many South Africans. Family and friends of cancer survivors, as well as many brave individuals still battling the disease, make a point of migrating to their favourite shopping centre to participate. Irene Village Mall is one of the favourite “shave or spray” destinations, raising the third highest amount of Pretoria malls in 2011. The 2012 CANSA Shavathon at Irene Village Mall will be organized in conjunction with the Targetlife Gap-year programme from the Living Word Church in Centurion, bringing an enthusiastic and lively bunch of young people as volunteers. The stylists from Carlton Hair Express will ensure that all those brave enough to shave it all off get a professional haircut! Spot prizes aplenty will be handed out by our MC, Marinus Hayes, on the day. The CANSA Shavathon will be hosted in the Woolworths court at Irene Village Mall on 3 March 2012 from 09:00 – 15:00. Keep your eyes peeled for a few celebrity surprises!

SA DACHSHUND CLUB FUN DAY Irene Village Mall will be hosting the annual South African Dachshund Club Rescue Fun day on 10 March in the parking lot next to Spur from 09:00. Anyone and everyone will be allowed to enter their Dachshund (Worshond) into the competition for only R30. The categories for entries include best tricks, fancy dress, happiest Daxie and many more. Celebrity judge Bailey Schneider from 94.7 will be giving away the prizes. An on-call vet and educator will be on site to answer any question you may have regarding your Dachshund. If you’re looking to adopt a dog please don’t miss this event. Come and enjoy a doggie day out! For more information on the Dachshund Club contact Karen on 082 798 9104 or Charmaine on 082 925 7609.

WELCOME TO THE VILLAGE! We’d like to extend a warm welcome to our wonderfully unique new tenants. In the corner across from Ackermans we have Rock my Baby (Shop 143), exclusive “alternative” baby and pet outfitters. Pop in for a baby shower gift guaranteed to be different from all the others! Artjamming, the home of paintertainment, will be opening their doors mid-March next to Engenius Toys (Shop 154). We can’t wait! Go to www.artjamming.co.za for more information.

WILD HAWK SPUR SPECIAL Wild Hawk Spur has partnered with the popular cinema at Irene Village Mall for an offer that’s hard to resist! Simply present your Ster Kinekor Irene Village Mall movie ticket at Wild Hawk Spur on a Tuesday or Thursday, and you’ll be treated to a starter or dessert of your choice. Wild Hawk Spur is located at the Woolworths entrance and can be contacted on 012 662 4050 or wildhawk@telkomsa.net. Web site: http://www.irenevillagemall.co.za

Rietvlei Nature Reserve – Attractions near Irene.

The Rietvlei Nature Reserve, as one of the worlds largest urban nature reserves (3800 hectares), is situated at near Irene in the south of Pretoria, close to the R21. It consists of open grassland with undulating hills.

Great game viewing and excellent angling are the main drawcards at the 3 800ha Rietvlei Nature Reserve that lies 18km from Tshwane and 38km from OR Tambo International Airport.

The reserve has its origins in the 1930s when the Rietvlei Dam was dug by hand. Today the dam is fed by the Sesmylspruit (Six Mile Stream), five fountains and five boreholes. Upstream lies Marais Dam that acts as a sludge dam for the Rietvlei.

Originally the dam was not open to the public, but in 1948, following the creation of a nature reserve and the introduction of endemic game species by the then Pretoria City Council, the Rietvlei Nature Reserve was proclaimed.

In addition to supplying Tshwane with 15% of its water requirements, the two dams have become popular yachting and angling spots, where catfish, yellowfish, carp and tilapia are caught.

The designated fishing section includes ablution and braai (barbecue) facilities, as well as a campsite and chalets for overnight guests. No canoes or baitboats are permitted.

About 60km of well-maintained tar and dirt roads allow for great game viewing. Look out for cheetah, rhino, leopard, buffalo, blesbok, black wildebeest, red hartebeest, eland, Burchell’s zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck, springbok, mountain reedbuck, steenbok and grey duiker.

Guided night drives – rounded off with a braai under the stars – expose visitors to the delights of nocturnal species such as the brown hyena, black-backed jackal, ant bear, aardwolf, porcupine, springhare and bush pig.

Day walks of 10km (four hours), game viewing bus tours, horse trails and a 21km (two-day) overnight hike from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, are also offered. Hiking facilities include two overnight huts with beds, mattresses, hot and cold water, some cooking utensils, and firewood. The hiking trail takes you past a group of historical British embankments used during the occupation of Pretoria.

Booking is essential for all activities.

The reserve enjoys a Highveld climate characterised by dry, frosty winters with temperatures rarely dropping below zero. There is an average 724mm rainfall during summer, when daytime temperatures reach up to 34°C.

Part of the Rietvlei Reserve is populated by endangered Bankenveld grassland, where undulating hills are dotted with clumps of indigenous trees. Exotic and invasive flora such as the Australian silver wattle tree is being systematically removed to restore the vegetation to its natural state.

Educational programmes presented by qualified guides allow you to learn more about the reserve’s environment.

Three distinct habitats – grassland, open-water and wetland – make Rietvlei excellent for bird watching and both dams feature bird hides.

Popular with visitors is the lovely picnic area at Marais Dam, an ideal location to while away an afternoon under the trees while watching water birds and hippos.

To see some amazing bird pictures taken here: Click here…

Operating hours

The reserve is open from 06h00 to 18h00 daily. Entrance is via the angling gate on Nellmapius Road.

Entry fee

Adults R20, children R10, toddlers R5 and pensioners R20.

Directions

On the R21 take the Irene/Rietvleidam off-ramp and turn in an easterly direction (towards Rietvleidam). At the first four-way stop turn right towards Olifantsfontein and the St George’s Hotel. Drive for 1.5km, crossing the Sesmylspruit. On the left is the signboard for the reserve. Turn left and follow the road up the hill to the main gate. Drive past the stone entrance until you get to the offices and entrance gate.

Irene Concentration Camp and Garden of Remembrance.

Overview of the Irene Concentration Camp

Opened on 2 November 1900, the Irene Concentration Camp was built with the intention that it would be one of the camps that would house Boer woman and children, driven from their land by the British “scorched earth” policy. This policy dictated the destruction of the farms and lands of Boer soldiers.

The conditions in the camp, located on the chilly southern side of the town, were extremely primitive. Life was exceptionally hard, and very little notice were taken by the authorities of the deaths that their lack of interest in the inmates caused.

The population increased rapidly in these poor conditions. In April 1901, it was recorded that the Irene Concentration Camp accommodated approximately 3 703 inmates, of which 317 were sick and 49 had perished. By the end of 1901 more than 800 people had died.

The Irene Concentration camp received much more attention than any other concentration camp, for a number of reasons. Located so close to Pretoria, it was under the eye of senior camp authorities. A group of Boer women from Pretoria who started a nursing corps in April 1901, gave the Irene Concentration camp additional notoriety.

The Irene Concentration Camp later extended, creating a second camp, known as Nylstroom. By the end of 1902 more than 5 400 people were held captive in the two camps. Although peace was declared in May 1902, the Irene Concentration Camp was allegedly closed during 1903, since no reports for the camp appears after 1903.

Today, the Irene Concentration Camp is a national heritage site, under the protection of the SA Heritage Resource Agency. The cemetery has more than 2 000 people buried there, although the cemetery’s name list only lists 1 149 people.

During excavations, a name plate with the number 2156 was found. However, only 850 heaps of soil, indicating graves, were uncovered. The original gravestones, generally hand-engraved on slate, were removed and placed under cover to prevent further weather damage. Later, the graves were formalized with stone plaques engraved with the names of people who had died during their horrible time in the Irene Concentration Camp.

You can read more on the history of the Irene Concentration camp here.

Review of the Irene Concentration Camp

In all honesty, I did not even want to write this review. This was one of the saddest places I have visited in a long time. And to find memorial plates with my family surname printed on it was even sadder, having to think what conditions these people had to endure.

Printed on paper slips in the windows of the entrance building, are the reasons why some of the people died.

Diseases that normally would have been under control, reigned in terror. So many unnecessary deaths. I am extremely thankful for not having to live in those times.

View photographs of all the headstones in the Irene Concentration Camp