Situated in attractive hilly country side in KwaZulu, Natal South Africa, overlooking a flat coastal Plain. 90 to 150 meters above sea level with panoramic views of Richards Bay and the Indian ocean from the higher lying sub
urbs.
The railway link between Durban and Eshowe was completed in January 1903. Rapid expansion began when a sugar mill was erected at Felixton. The establishment of the Empangeni Sugar Mill set the area on the road to rapid development. Empangeni was officially proclaimed as a township on 15 January 1931 and declared a borough on 13 October 1960.
HISTORY OF EMPANGENI LIONS CLUB
The Empangeni Lions Club was chartered on the 1st October 1968. Charter members consisted of twenty males namely -H E Wilson, P Behramann, D Barnes, G S Wilde, B G Gould, M de St Pern, J Corondimas, Don Askew, Ted Bell, John Craig, Vic Hanna, Charles Meth, Will Muller, John Pritchard, Lindsay Reed, Ralph Reid, Tommy Roberts, Leon Sacco, Doug Scales and Syd Trusler. Since those early days, ladies have been welcomed into the club and in 2002 the club elected its first Lady President - Judi Blakeman.
Lions who have taken on the added responsibilities of President, since the inauguration of the club in 1968, are as appended.
| H Wilson | 1968/1969 | P Behrmann | 1969/1970 |
| D Barnes | 1970/1971 | G Wilde | 1971/1972 |
| S Trusler | 1972/1973 | N Sayer | 1973/1974 |
| J Webster | 1974/1975 | E Patterson | 1975/1976 |
| J Webster | 1976/1977 | C Banting | 1977 |
| S Trusler | 1978 | S Trusler | 1978/1979 |
| S P Botha | 1979/1980 | Peter Naude | 1980/1981 |
| Trevor Gove | 1981/1982 | Arnold Clarke | 1982/1983 |
| Arthur Black | 1983/1984 | Alistair Wilson | 1984/1985 |
| Bill Parfitt | 1985/1986 | Albert jSwift | 1986/1987 |
| Bill Parfitt | 1987/1988 | Chris Edwards | 1988/1989 |
| Lindsay Reed | 1989/1990 | Barry Gates | 1990/1991 |
| Neil Webster | 1991/1992 | Nick Grobler | 1992/1993 |
| Arnold Clarke | 1993/1994 | Richard Moulton | 1994/1995 |
| Gerrie Scholz | 1995/1996 | Nick Grobler | 1996/1997 |
| Frans Grobbelaar | 1997/1998 | Marius Potgieter | 1998/2001 |
| Chris De Waal | 2001/2002 | Judi Blakeman | 2002/2003 |
| Judi Blakeman | 2003/2004 | Belinda Blakeman | 2004/2005 |
| Belinda Blakeman | 2005/2006 | Chris Edwards | 2006/2007 |
| Chris Edwards | 2007/2008 | Chris Edwards | 2008/2009 |
| Arnold Clarke | 2009/2010 | Arnold Clarke | 2010 - Jan 2011 |
| Chris Edwards | Jan 2011 - Jun 2011 |
WEB RINGS AND AWARDS
The Empengeni Lions are now part of the NEW LIONS WEBRING organised by the United Kingdom Lions of MD105. The site has been recognised by a SILVER EXCELLENCE AWARD by the New Lions Webring and as a FAMILY FRIENDLY site.
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