Mbabane Club

September 2023 News

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new Club Year. Yes, that means it’s Subscriptions Time again! But more about that later……

Firstly, a warm welcome goes out to our new members:

Tapiwa Chilipane Sandile Mcanyane Kethani Dlamini Melusi Dlamini Stephen Mavuso

Chihou Wang Ellen Horlebein Vulindlela Kunene Nhlanhla Mtsetfwa Mxolisi Magagula Sandra Kwok Choon

Events

• Rugby World Cup on the big screen at the Club! Watch the rugby at the Club and enjoy the banter and excitement of the crowd! Everything kicks off this coming Friday 8th September at the Club with…
• The Annual General Meeting will be held before the end of October on a date to be advised. Before the end of this month each sports section will be holding its annual general meeting, dates also to be advised.

Club Facilities

Improvements continue to be made with a new lounge couch recently delivered.   More improvements are in the pipeline.

In case you missed it, there is now Wi-Fi available at the Club. Ask the bar staff for details.

Pickleball

Has arrived! Tennis court #2 now has lines marked out for pickleball. In case you haven’t heard, pickleball is the is a new, fun, social and friendly, sport that is played with a paddle or bat on a scaled down tennis court. The rules are simple, and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game.

The game can be played by two or four players. Bats and ball are available at the club (ask the bar staff) and the court fee is E60 for an hour. Give it a try!

The rules and some tips on how to play can be found at usapickleball.org.

Membership Subscriptions

Club membership continues to grow! To keep it that way, we encourage everyone to renew their membership for 2023-24 and to encourage others to join and make use of the sporting and social facilities that we have to offer.  With your continued support and a growing membership, our facilities will continue to improve!

Our financial year has just ended, on 31 August, and membership subscriptions of the next year are now due. And despite rising costs, we have maintained the subscription amounts. These are:

• Ordinary          Family            3,400               
• Ordinary          Single             1,975               
• Country            Family            2,500               
• Country            Single             1,500               
• Senior               Single             800   
• Senior               Family            1,200               
• Young Adult   Single             800

As agreed by members at last years’ AGM, the sports member category is no more. It was removed to bring equality and inclusivity to our membership structure, with all members now allowed to vote at general meetings and serve on club committee. It also simplifies things. However, those who were sports members last year will receive invoices for ordinary single memberships.

Subscription invoices will be emailed soon, and a printed copy will be available for collection at the reception desk. Subscriptions should be paid before the AGM at the end of October.

Reminder – there is no sports member category, and all subs must be paid at the main club and not at the golf clubhouse. Thanks.

Sports Sections

In golf news, we have written to the Mbabane Municipal Council asking for an extension to our lease for the golf course. A reply was received saying that the Council is considering our request with the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development. In due course they will let us know, but indications are that, although some of the land has been re-zoned and earmarked for commercial development, an extension might be forthcoming.

Miscellany

Property Rates – we also received a letter from the Mbabane Municipal Council about an increase in our property tax or rates bill. It went up from E85,156 p.a. to E116,298 p.a., a whopping 36% increase! Admittedly, not as big an increase that some rate payers are facing but nevertheless a substantial amount for us with our limited income. We have, of course, written to the Council objecting to the increase and enquiring about the reasons for it. We are also seeking a discount because the Club is a non-profit making, community-based organisation. No response from them yet. We will keep you informed – because after all the Club is owned by you, the members – and what impact the increase may have on subscription fees next year.

For sale – a variable height workstation, enabling you to stand or sit to work at your desk. The Varidesk Pro Plus 30 can help relieve back pain and other issues by moving more and sitting less at work. In excellent condition. Still boxed. Yours for E6,000. Call Sean Johnson on 7688 9962 or email segrjo@gmail.com.

mbabaneclub.co.sz |info@mbabaneclub.co.sz | secretary@mbabaneclub.co.sz