Helderberg Gazette 9 Oct 2012 by Boland Gazette

Helderberg

Year 16 • Tuesday 9 October 2012 | Tel. 021 853 0211

One of the homes was seriously damaged by a storm earlier this year. The family living there went without a roof all winter.

Keeshe Carelse (6) and her family may soon have to leave their Pinetown home.

Booi Blonkers shows the state of a toilet outside his home.

PHOTOS: NICOLE MCCAIN

Standoff in farm eviction case NICOLE MCCAIN

Forty-year-old Elzane Carelse has lived in Pinetown, Sir Lowry’s Pass, for her entire life. She and five other families were served with eviction notices at the beginning of the year. The small community staying in homes belonging to Alwyn van Pittius took the matter to court in February. But after agreeing to enter into negotiations a month ago, they still haven’t resolved the issue. Carelse’s home on erf 849, which she says she lovingly repaired, may now be taken from her. “I lie awake worrying: ‘Am I going to have a home tomorrow? And if we have to leave, where will I take my children?’” The parties agreed to enter into a mediation process during their last court appearance on 8 September, and say they were told they would be given a new place to stay. According to Van

Pittius’s lawyer Barry Nortje, none of the current residents is employed by Van Pittius, who “merely seeks to obtain housing for [his] own employees, some of whom are currently residing in informal housing”. However, the residents don’t want to leave. “I don’t want to live anywhere else,” says Carelse. “I was born here, my children too. I don’t know anywhere else.” Her mother worked on the farm adjacent to her home for almost 30 years, with Carelse often helping her. “We had it tough. We used to come home from school and went to help on the farm. We knew every nook on that farm. But today, we can’t even set foot on it.” In 1997, the Van Pittius family bought the land, and Carelse and her family were evicted from their home. They moved to the informal settlement in Pinetown, but 10 years ago she approached the Van Pittius family and asked if she could live in one of the vacant buildings used to house seasonal workers.

She says she and her husband Dominic repaired the building, cleaned the soot from the walls, and turned it into a worthy home for themselves and their two children. Then, in June last year, the residents were told they would have to pay R500 a month as rent, says Carelse, even though they had not previously paid any rent. She says they refused to pay any rent, because the houses were in such a poor condition. The houses have no running water or toilets inside, and the water from the taps outside the homes is a health concern, say residents. “The water is brown. We have to boil the water before we can drink it,” says Dominic. “Alternatively, we have to fetch water from 300 m away.” The outside toilets are also unusable, with the toilet bowls damaged and the stalls covered in dirt and overgrown plants. Residents either have to walk to the toilets in the neighbouring informal settlement in Pinetown, or install their own at a hefty price. “I installed my own

toilet. It cost me R15 000,” says another resident, Booi Blonkers. According to residents, one of the homes was seriously damaged by a storm earlier this year. The roof, which was completely blown off, has still not been replaced. Carelse says she would like an outcome to the case. According to Nortje, all applications were postponed indefinitely for the parties to enter into negotiations. “My client hopes that the disputes can indeed be resolved by negotiations, hopefully during October.” He declined to comment further.

News - Nuus

Helderberg Gazette

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Dwelmeuwel raak ons almal NICOLE MCCAIN ’n Ma van Garden Village het hande gevat met ’n plaaslike pastoor om dwelmmisbruik in die Helderberg ’n nekslag toe te dien.

TEAM DUBANETIX SUPPORTS SCHOOL: Helderberg car club, Team Dubanetix, gave back to the community of Sir Lowry’s Pass, by raising funds to assist children in the community. The club held a “park-off”, with all the members making a contribution towards the day and its activities. Pictured above are members of Team Dubanetix, handing over a cheque of the funds raised to a representative of Kids for Christ. For more information, contact Team Dubanetix chairperson Duncan Rulse on 0 083 809 2735.PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Jesmine Klink staan aan die hoof van ’n gemeenskapsprojek onder die beskerming van Divine Embrace Church en korrektiewe dienste. In samewerking met past. Tanswill Davids hou sy weeklikse beradingsessies wat op die jeug en dwelmmisbruik gemik is. Jesmine sê hulle verleen ook bystand aan jong mense wat wil ophou dwelms gebruik. Dwelmverslaafdes word na ’n plaas in Vredendal gestuur as deel van Divine Embrace se projekte. Jesmine het verskeie suksesverhale, onder andere ’n jong onderwyser wat volkome genees is en nou as ’n motiveringspreker werk. Jesmine gee ook berading aan families van dwelmverslaafdes. Sy vertel dat sy uit ondervinding praat, ná sy die impak van dwelmmisbruik in haar eie familie ervaar het. Een van haar seuns (26) is vier jaar gevangenisstraf opgelê ná ’n

huisbraak. Hulle wou die buit verkoop vir dwelmgeld. Sy verslaafdheid het sy verhouding met sy gesinslede nadelig beïnvloed. “Sy broers en susters sou teleurgesteld na hom kyk. Jy kon nie jou foon of geld laat rond lê nie dan verdwyn dit – gesteel om dwelms te koop.” Jesmine glo in die krag van gedeelde ervarings. “Ek het vertroue om met ander ma’s te praat. Ons moet ons harte oopmaak en ons stemme laat hoor.” Sy doen haar gemeenskapswerk in haar vrye tyd, terwyl sy voltyds vir die departement sport en ontspanning werk en kry geen finansiering nie, behalwe deur die kerk. Jesmine meen dwelmmisbruik is wydverspreid in die Helderberg. Haar projek bereik Somerset-Wes, Chris Nissen Park, Nomzamo, Lwandle, Strand en Sir Lowry’s Pass. “Dwelms is in ál ons gemeenskappe. Families word opgebreek en kinders word die slagoffers.” “My versoek is dat ons mekaar se kinders aanneem. Ons moet vir mekaar omgee.”

Jesmine Klink

Patch AGM Patch, a non-profit organisation working with children who have experienced sexual abuse in the Helderberg, holds its AGM on Thursday. The meeting will be held in the Somerset West Library hall at 18:00. Phone Alida Willemse on 021 845 7548.

FATHER AND SON CAMP: The Hearts of Men organisation hosted a Father and Son Camp at the Silky Oaks Eco Resort outside Greyton from 7 - 9 September. Course leader Nico Beukes says the purpose of the camp was to promote positive fathering, to strengthen father and son relationships and motivate positive role modelling. The weekend’s activities included canoeing on the Riviersonderend river, playing games and giving fathers the opportunity to spend quality time with their sons. “We want fathers to become more involved in their children’s upbringing in order for them to overcome the challenges and problems of social isolation, drugs, violence and gangsterism in our communities,” says Beukes.

SBV byeen Die Strand Belastingbetalersvereniging (SBV) hou môre (Woensdag) hul algemene jaarvergadering. Die vergadering begin om 19:00 in die saal van die NG-gemeente Strand-Noord. Gene Lohrentz sal as gasspreker optree en die moontlikheid van Strand as ’n sentrale opgraderingsgebied (CID) sal bespreek word asook die toename in misdaad; gebrekkige instandhouding van openbare fasiliteite en algemene gebrek aan dienslewering. Vir navrae bel Dorette Bassil by 072 230 6820.

Tuesday 9 October 2012

News - Nuus

Truck driver assaulted A truck driver and his passenger narrowly escaped harm after their truck was set alight in Nomzamo yesterday (Monday). Lwandle police spokesperson Constable Mthokozisi Gama says the incident may have formed part of the truck driver strike that has gripped SA for three weeks. Gama says the truck was delivering goods to the Shoprite U-Save store in Solomon Street at 09:00 when a group of about 20 people approached it and forced the driver (30) and his 27-year-old passenger out. The vehicle’s key was taken and the two men were forced to accompany the group to another place. The men managed to escape and return to the store, where they found the burnt-out shell of the truck. Police are investigating a case of arson. Anyone with information relating to the incident is urged to phone Warrant Officer Randall Van Schalkwyk on 082 522 3361. In another incident, this one last Tuesday,

a 34-year-old Lwandle resident was badly burned after his truck was petrol-bombed in Strand. The incident happened just after 20:00 on the corner of Broadlands and Vulindle Roads. Gama says officers found the driver sitting next to the burning truck with burns to his face and shoulder. The man had stopped at a red traffic light when two men, wearing balaclavas, threw a petrol bomb at the truck. They fled in the direction of Lwandle and are still at large. Dr Elizabeth Erasmus, superintendent of Helderberg Hospital, says the truck driver was admitted to the hospital with deep burns to the side of his face and on his chest. He was discharged on Thursday. Police are investigating a case of malicious damage to property, and one of assault. Anyone with information about the incident can phone Detective Constable Bongekile Ntsontso on 082 522 1208 or 021 845 2060.

Helderberg Gazette

KENNISGEWING VAN SUBRAADSVERGADERINGS OKTOBER 2012 Kennis geskied hiermee dat die 24 (vier-en-twintig) subrade van die Stad Kaapstad soos volg op die volgende plekke en tye sal vergader: Subraad Plek

Datum Tyd

Bestuurder Peter Deacon 021 550 1001 Fred Monk 021 980 6053 Johannes Brand 021 590 1676 Ardela van Niekerk 021 938 8050 Martin Julie 021 695 8161 Pat Jansen 021 918 2024 Carin Viljoen 021 970 3002 Izak du Toit 021 850 4149 Vathiswa Njaba 021 360 1351 Lunga Bobo 021 630 1600 Kayise Nombakuse 021 630 1600 Kennith Snippers 021 371 4550 Lunga Bobo 021 630 1600 Christopher Jako 021 630 1600 Mariette Griessel 021 531 3437 Marius Coetsee 021 487 2055 Edgar Carolissen 021 637 9757 Okkie Manuels 021 700 4020 Desiree Mentor 021 784 2011 Brian Ford 021 794 2493 Pieter Grobler 021 900 1502 Richard Moi 021 900 1508 Raphael Martin 021 371 4551 Anthony Mathe 021 956 8000

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