Beautiful Exchange Grace Church

Are hosting a Valentine Gospel Karaoke

On 24 February 2012

Time 7pm till late

Tickets cost R20, 00

Platters on Sale.

Contact person -083 978 3112

NOTICES FOR WEBSITE

• I ‘m looking for all former workers of Atelier Kari Knitwear, 15 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town, for a Reunion. Call Thelma Meyer on 076 102 0297 or 021 376 0261 for more information.

• The Eoan Group School of Performing Arts will host its open day on Saturday January 28, at the Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone from 10am to 1pm. For more information, call Elaine on 021 637 1268.

• The Athlone Academy Music is now open for registration. Tuition in all instruments will resume at Garlandale High School on Saturday February 4. Registration for Tuesday evening classes also at Garlandale High School is open. Call 021 637 3072 (o)

• Tokai Manor Precinct Open Day – SANParks has appointed consultants to prepare a Precinct Plan for the Tokai Manor precinct which is located in the Table Mountain National Park. Members o the public, stakeholders and recreational users are invited to the Open Day, Tuesday 7 February @16h00, Tokai Manor House, to view and comment on the proposals for the Tokai Manor Precinct Plan

• Sherwood Manenberg Cricket Club has junior training sessions on Fridays, from 5 -7pm at the Primrose Park sport filed, Ohio Street. Seniors train Tuesdays and Thursdays on the same fields. To join or assist, call Lamees Allie on 021 692 0393/ 073 736 2715

19th of January, community representatives and supporters held a press conference where community representatives detail plans to take over Rondebosch Commons.

 What are we doing? On the 27th of January, early in the morning, we will wake up and walk. We will walk very far. From our communities in Mitchell’s Plain, in Khayelitsha, in Bishop Lavis, in Manenberg, and many others, we will walk to Athlone Stadium. From there, at about 2pm, we will march together to Rondebosch Common.

 From that evening, the 27th, until the 29th of January, our communities and supporters from all over Cape Town, will take back Rondebosch Commons from the rich dog walkers to hold a People’s Land! Housing! and Jobs! Summit. We will discuss our struggles, talk about alternative ways we can live and decide on actions that will take us forward in our struggle. This will be the first of many actions to come. (copy submitted)

Approximate list of participating communities and organisations:

• Hanover Park Civic Association
• Kraaifontein Backyarders Association
• Hout Bay Civic Association
• Cloetesville Backyarders Association
• Athlone Advice Office
• Bonteheuwel Environmental Forum
• People of the South
• Proudly Manenberg
• Proudly Mitchell’s Plain
• Panati Estate Civic Association
• Leonsdale Community Association
• Ruyterwacht Tenants Committee
• Lavender Hill Civic Association
• Lavendar Hill Backyarders
• Zeal 4 Life Bonteheuwel
• Institute for the Restoration of the Aborigines of South Africa
• Bishop Lavis Outreach Forum
• People’s Health Movement
• SANGOCO Western Cape
• Occupy Cape Town

MELISSA NEL

Playing croquet, carpet bowling and darts, are just a few ways of keeping themselves out of trouble, says Isobel Busch, organiser of the Belgravia Seniors Centre.

The members of the centre were recently also given a workout session by a group of students of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

The seniors are from the areas such as Bridgetown, Heideveld and Rondebosch East. Besides assisting them to check their blood pressures, she often travels with them. “We have already been to Malaysia, Durban and Kimberly,” said Busch.

MELISSA NEL

Don’t blame yourself or the victim of physical or sexual abuse, Dr. Donovan Andrews of a local Thutuzela Centre said at a victim empowerment imbizo held at the Bishop Lavis Secondary School during the Corrections Week.

Community members must know their rights to help those who go through abuse. PHOTO: mindlovemisery.wordpress.com

The event was held to bring awareness of rights of the parole board victims. According to Andrews about 250 rape cases are reported at the centre per month.

“We (the community) are looking for answers. You never know where you will get it, and it might help in your life or other people,” said a mother of three (26), who did not want her name to be mentioned.

Women need to stand together, especially for their children, she said. “There was a man here earlier (at the imbizo) who flirted with the children. He looked as if he only wanted to sit near the children and offered them sweets. We (she and other mothers with her) decided to move away from where he is sitting.”

She was 14 years old when she was in an abusive relationship. “My boyfriend hit me with his bare hands.”

She says she often sees young women going through the same thing. “They (the victims of abuse) often look scared and are edgy. They also try to avoid the boyfriend (the perpetrator).”

“It’s discouraging when you give advice to that person (the victim) and later you see her back with him (the boyfriend/ perpetrator).”

She adds: “Sometimes we tend not to help when we see physical abuse in the community, because it’s not a blood relative or a friend.”

Captain Marie Louw, a police spokeswoman, had said on an earlier occasion that many rapes and domestic violence where a child is often a victim is not reported, because people feel it is not their business.

MELISSA NEL

They are a family, say the members of the Heideveld Senior Citizens Club. They regularly travel together and this week they have a vacation in Hermanus.

“They have amazing respect for me and their children do too. I call them (the seniors) my children,” beams Sharon Lang, the facilitator of the group. She adds most seniors lack education. “That’s why the youngsters overpower them.”

The Heideveld Senior Citizens Club

“I refuse to pay R5 for a taxi,” said Joyce Paulse (79). She moved into Heideveld 47 years ago when there were neither streetlights nor fences. The group is active in things such as poetry, dancing and other exercises. Paulse took part in the Pass-the-ball activity in the recent Golden Games.

Emily Josias (75) told about the “frog choir” back then. “It was beautiful at night, because you could hear the frogs. It reminds me of where I come from – Worcestor.” They moved to Heideveld on the day of her only child, Hendry Andrew Charles’ birthday – September 6. “He was two years old when his namesake, Hendrik Verwoerd died in 1965.”

Another memory is her crush on film star Rock Hudson: “He was in the movie Paton Place and I couldn’t see it, because it was for over 21s. I went with my husband (then boyfriend) – he was 36 and I was 19 – and they asked if I was his daughter!” she laughs.

The club opened six years ago with 105 members. They are currently 42 – some of them died and others moved away. The club even attended a funeral in Eastern Cape of a former member. If anyone is interested to join, call Sharon on 0846501147.

MELISSA NEL

“When women are in a marriage they do not want the marriage to end, they simply just want the abuse to end,” said Dawn Fish of the Mosaic.

Fish says in a recent incident a lady applied for a protection order (PO) against her partner, but there was a delay in the sheriff serving the order to the man. “Although the woman had a job, she could not pay for the services of the sheriff, because her partner had her bank card.”

Women have rights not to be abused in a marriage.

According to Jody-Lee Fredericks, Legal Advisor at the Women’s Legal Centre, some of the problems women experience with Protection Orders includes men maliciously applying for PO against women whom have applied for a PO against them. “This malicious behavior contributes in delaying the court process in the granting of final protection orders. It also contributes to women feeling anxious and inadequate to represent themselves in court.”

Statistics provided by the Centre says 58% of POs were served on the respondent by the police and 12% of POs were served by the sheriff of the court. PO served by the police is free of charge.

Fredericks says women are still unaware of their right to apply for a protection order for economic abuse.  “The Domestic Violence Courts are also reluctant to grant protection orders for economic abuse.”  

Mrs. Sebotsa, Director-Area Commissioner of Goodwood says women must remember they have the right to give an opinion whether your perpetrator can have parole or not. “If you cannot be there in court, you have a right to ask a family member to represent you.”

For more information contact the Women’s Legal Centre (021) 424 5660 or visit the office: 124 Constitution house, 7th floor, Adderley Street, Cape Town.

AVRIL FILLIES

Die lewenskoste is duur, want jy moet jou Suid-Afrikaanse rand vermenigvuldig met sewe om by te hou met die pryse. Boonop is alle pryse verhoog vir die duur van die toernooi. As jy nie sakke vol geld gehad het nie, moes jy soos ek jou sente omdraai.

Avril Fillies

As jy gedink het dat skelms net in SA voorkom, moet jy weer dink. Die media het onder die skelms deurgeloop, maar ons  kon darem ons werk doen. Die vrywilligers en inwoners van Nieu-Seeland was vriendelik en behulpsaam en het met almal ‘n geselsie aangeknoop, alles in die gees van die Wêreldbeker.

Hier is baie poste vir joernaliste wat in gemeenskapsjoernalistiek belang stel, maar jy sal moet onthou dat jy meer as drie seisoene in een dag beleef. Dit reen nou en die wind waai jou weg, om ‘n halfuur later in die son te loop. Baie mense loop hier met kortbroeke in die reen en almal is besig om te hardloop, te draf of te loop om fiks te bly. Ek het later begin sleg voel omdat ek nie so fiks is nie, maar het toe later uitgevind dat die meeste mense aan diabetes, hartkwale, stress en cholestrol ly.

Nieu-Seeland is ‘n wonderlike land om te besoek, want daar is baie plekke wat ooreenstem met plekke in Suid-Afrika. Of ek my hier sal kom vestig, ek twyfel, want hier is nie ‘n Tafelberg of sonskyn nie. Sal maar met die probleme in Suid-Afrika saamleef, want ek ken dit. Gesinsgeweld en kindermolestering en -verwaarlosing is van die grootste probleme in Nieu-Seeland en dit is onder alle nasies van die land.

My tyd in Nieu-Seeland kom nou tot ‘n einde, want na die eindstryd is ek op pad na SA en die dinge wat ek my hele lewe lank ken. Dankie aan alle Nieu-Seelanders dat hulle my so welkom laat voel het, maar my eie bed roep my nou!!!