Greeting to all,

This is the March 2021 instalment of the Mbabane Club news-mail.

News
Access: The front door access keypad is now working. The best and easiest way to open the door is to use your key tag…
If you don’t have a key tag, collect one (single members) or two (family members) from the club’s reception desk or office. To open the door in the meantime or when you don’t have your key tag with you, the keypad code is 01 [OK] 2020 [OK], that is, numbers 0 1 followed by the [OK] button then the numbers 2 0 2 0 followed by the [OK] button. The keypad code on the lower car park gate is still 2020#. Both keypad codes will change on a regular basis (monthly) so it’s best always to use the key tag.
Covid-19: With partial easing of the lockdown, the club is open for all sports and limited social activities. Covid-19 protocols remain in effect.
Website: The club’s website is now accessible at www.mbabaneclub.co.sz and in the Member’s Zone (registration needed) you will find various things such as the club’s constitution, minutes of past AGMs and annual financial statements, past club committees, etc., and over time, much more will be added. Please do sign up.
Gardens You may have noticed the flower beds and a pots near the main door looking much better. It’s great to have Jim Black back looking after after the garden.
Guests: Please be reminded that your guests must be signed in and guests living in Mbabane may only be signed in twice in any year. Please encourage your guests to join the club. Also, you are responsible for your guests; if you leave the club, they must too.

New Members
Welcome to Wilke & Daniella Brink (family), Wandile Masima (single), Luis Valentim (social), and Sifiso Musi (country, single).
We say “goodbye” to many former members who have not renewed their subscriptions for this year. Unfortunately there are too many to list here, but you can check the names of current members and immediate past members on the list posted on the notice board and on the club’s website www.mbabaneclub.co.sz.

General Committee
We are still looking for a volunteer to be the club’s treasurer.
The draft minutes of last years’ AGM are almost ready to send out to you. We are waiting for the annual financial statements of the squash and tennis sections (who use the same bank account).
The General Committee met on the 10th March and in addition to matters related to day-to-day operations, access, and maintenance, the committee considered the renewal of the lease agreement with Fat Baz Hamburger Hut Pty Ltd for the Albert Millin and as managers of the club, and various suggestions for improvements.
The club has a new dart board and pool table in the lower Lang Bar. Bringing back the table tennis table is also being looked at. Other improvements being considered included better lighting in the lower Lang Bar, or perhaps raising the roof to increase more natural light, but this may have to wait until the club’s financial position improves somewhat.

Sections
Golf: Affiliation fees for Eswatini Golf Union and South Africa Golfers Association (SAGA) are now past due. To have a playing handicap (for competitions) you must be affiliated!
Squash:
Tennis: Court #1 is back in use!

Finally
Please let the club secretary know via email if you or anyone you know are not receiving these email newsletters.
If you need to get in touch with the committee or the manager, please email either secretary@mbabaneclub.co.sz for suggestions, complaints, enquiries about membership, etc., or manager@mbabaneclub.co.sz for day-to-day issues about club operation, maintenance, etc.

Stay safe and have a great Easter holiday.

Good day Mbabane Club members,

This is the second of occasional newsletters that the committee will be emailing to members.

Firstly, a big thank you to you all for renewing your membership. These are difficult times and the club is very grateful for your continued support. The new 2020-21 committee are aware that the club must do more and provide improved facilities for members. There is now a darts board and soon a pool table and table tennis. Some renovation works are being considered.

The club is a members’ club owned by its members for the benefit of members, and your support makes it what it is.

Next, a big welcome to new members of the Club:

• Simbarashe Chirivashi
• Julian Teh-hsim Wu and family
• Gordon Bennet
• Sipho Vuyisile Masuku
• Thulsile Carole Dlamini-Simelane, Sandile Simelane and family
• Muziwethu Langwenya (social)

New membership applications are posted on the notice board for 14 days—and there are 4 or 5 on the board at the moment—and we encourage you to review them. You are entitled to object to someone becoming a member, if you have a good reason of course!

Although the new door access keypad is in place, there have been delays in getting it activated, mostly due to delays in getting the keys tags delivered. Access will be by use of a key tag or keypad code. The tags have now arrived and are being programmed. Everyone will be given a key tag (family members will get two) but extra tags or replacement tags will cost you E100 each (to cover the cost of the tag).

The guest or visitors book is now in use. If you are bringing a guest to the club, please sign them in, and remember, you can sign in the same guest only twice in any one year. Please encourage your guests to become members if they wish to come to the club regularly.

General Committee News

Toward the end of last year, we unfortunately lost our treasurer—Ray Thomas—who resigned from the committee. The squash section representative—Bud Takis—also stepped down. If you have a little spare time and want to help your club, please let us know.

The general committee meets monthly, and our past two meetings have focussed on two important issues—operating the club is these difficult, pandemic times, and a new lease for the Albert Millin restaurant and management agreement for the club.

Each sports section sets its own rules on operating and compliance with Covid protocols; currently only the golf course is closed.

Members present at the last AGM will recall some discussion about the lease for the Albert Millin restaurant. If you weren’t at the AGM, briefly, the Millin is leased to Fat Baz Pty Ltd for no rent in return for operating the Lang Bar and gym, maintaining the property and grounds, and making some capital improvements specified in the lease. Fat Baz Pty Ltd employs all the bar, cleaning, and grounds staff, pays utility bills, and retains the income from the bar and 80% of the gym fees income. The club pays municipal rates and taxes, insurance, and services a (substantial) bank loan, which is all paid for from member’s subscriptions.

The financial status of the club is reported in the annual financial statements at the AGM. The minutes of our last AGM and financial statements will be emailed to members soon, and with the development of the club’s website, you will be able to access copies of all past AGM minutes and financial statements, as well the club’s constitution, among other things.

Sport Section News

Tennis

The problems with the surface of court #1 should be a thing of the past soon as a specialist contractor is due on site, and weather permitting, it will be back in action by early next month. once the court is finished, there will be 3 courts available for members only! Fees for using the courts will be introduced: Annual subscription for social players, Saturdays, E1200; for regular players (unlimited) E2400.

Golf

The course remains closed during the current lockdown but is still being maintained by the greens staff. The recent heavy rains have been a challenge, especially on the 7/16 fairway.

Squash

Finally

On warm sunny days it’s great to see families using the pool and that children are being closely supervised. In addition to this and not taking glass into pool area, the rules also require that you wear proper swimming attire (and not underwear) for hygiene reasons. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

If you need to get in touch with the committee or the manager, please email either secretary@mbabaneclub.co.sz for suggestions, complaints, enquiries about membership, etc., or manager@mbabaneclub.co.sz for day-to-day issues about club operation, maintenance, etc.