Ravensmead, 09 April 2008

Van Rhynsdorp, 08 April 2008

By Mandla Yeki: Provincial Government Communications

MEC for Public Transport and Public Works Marius Fransman committed his department to review the sale of public land in favour of affordable housing.

Mr. Fransman made this undertaking in his response to ques-tions at an imbizo in Ravensmead on Tuesday night. The imbizo was also attended by Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Whitey Jacobs, Com-munity Safety MEC Leonard Ramatlakane, Heads of Department and senior managers.

About 700 Ravensmead residents packed the community hall to raise various issues of concern to them. Topping their list of griev-ances was housing, health, crime and the high unemployment rate.Against this background, many residents complained bitterly about under-utilized school buildings, the Elswood High and Florida Primary Schools being cited as examples.

Ravensmead residents said they have written letters requesting

Department of Public Works to review the sale of public landMEC Fransman to allow them usage of the school buildings for their businesses but to no avail. MEC Fransman replied that the issue of empty school buildings is a matter of extreme importance and he will give it the urgent attention it deserves and that the submissions and proposals in this regard will be reviewed soon taking into account their concerns.

The day hospital/clinic at Ravensmead has no 24 hours emergency unit and is small to cope with the health needs of the community, the imbizo was told. Residents called on the Department of Health to upgrade the hospital to include a 24 hours emergency capacity.

Tygerberg Hospital, which is a five-minute drive from Ravens-mead and therefore cheap to travel to, was not accessible to the com-munity, the residents complained. Instead, the community is referred to Elsiesriver Clinic, which is a considerable distance and more expen-sive to travel to. They asked the Department of Health to address what they termed “unacceptable and unfair practice “of the hospital.

Deur Jeremy Maarman: Government Communications Information System (GCIS)

Die regering se dienslewering program bring altyd nuwe uitdagings mee, soos blyk op Vanrhynsdorp waar die bou van meer as 500 huise die misdaadsyfer aansienlik laat toeneem het, aldus inwon-ers tydens die Imbizo vandeesweek.

Misdaad en ander kwessies soos finansiële hulp vir die sopkom-buis, beweerde polisie brutalitiet, ekonomiese ontwikkelings geleen-thede, die inflasie koers, verspoeling van strate, opgradering van die speelpark, en deernisverkryging was druk bespreek met Ministers Leonard Ramatlakane, Tasneem Essop en senior regerings verteen-woordigers.

Die Matzikama Munisipalitiet was verteenwoordig deur Uitvoer-ende Burgemeester Patrick Bok, Speaker David Jenner en amptenary. Benewens misdaad was behuising ook hoog op die agenda.

Die gemeenskap het vroeg reeds laat blyk dat hulle baie het om oor te praat en Mnr Hansie Henecke, Gemeenskap Polisieforum voor-sitter, het ontmiddelik die probleme met die polisie in Vanrhynsdorp aangespreek.

Volgens hom is daar nie genoeg polisiebeamptes nie, en erken-ning word nie aan die hoof van sektor-polisiëring en die reserviste gegee nie. Daar was vier moorde die afgelope tyd en die invloei van ASLA werkers van buite die dorp is die toedraende faktor, aldus die inwoners.

Mev. Helena Davids het gesê die Behuisingkomitee is ongelukkig oor die waglys nie reg hanteer word nie, mense van buite die dorp het

Dienslewering bring nuwe uitdagings op Vanrhynsdorp meevoorkeur gekry. Die Wyksraadslid glee glo ook nie terugvoering aan gemeenskap oor behoeftes en klagtes gee nie.

In antwoord het Minister Ramatlakane gesê Matzikama is deel van die regering se 21 prioriteitsareas, waar die misbruik van alkohol en dwelms en die toename in misdaad groot is. Daar is aansienlike toename in shebeens maar dit word aanvaar dat die SA Polidiens (SAPD) weet wat aangaan in hulle dorpe.

Hye het gesê dit is goed dat die polisie genoeg voertuie het, aangesien hulle die plase ook bedien, maar die tekort aan lede sal na gekyk word. Daar sal weer fietse gestuur word vir Bambanani vrywil-ligers sodat hulle meer sigbaar kan wees.

Die regering wil hê die gemeenskap moet meer berokke raak by misdaad bekamping, en dat die gemeenskap nouer met mekaar moet saamwerk deur die stigting van straatkomitees.

‘n Ander probleem, volgens die Minister, is die stadige reaksie tyd van SAPD lede. Hierdie probleem sal ook daadwerklike aandag geniet.

Wat die behuisings-waglys betref, is die vul waglyste onder die bestuur van die munisipaliteit, wat op sy beurt die lyste aan die Depar-tement van Behuising oorhandig. Nasionale Beleid is van toepassing wanneer vasgestel word wie kwalifiseer om op die lyste te wees.

Mense wat reeds na 1994 ‘n huis by die regering gekry het, sal nie weer kwalifiseer vir ‘n behuising-subsidie nie. Verdere vrae oor waglyste is na die munisipalitiet se behuisings-beampte verwys.

Minister Ramatlakane het beklemtoon dat die regering daartoe verbind is om eenheid te bou in gemeenskappe om sodoende die provinsie as ‘n Tuiste Vir Almal te skep.

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Worcester , 07 April 2008

By Eric Ntabazalila: Provincial Government Communications

Three hours was not enough for the more than 400 people who at-tended the first 2008 Western Cape Government Imbizo in Zwele-themba, Worcerster, to raise their concerns.

Questions and answers continued until after 10pm with members of the community urging the government to come back to speak to them.

Issues raised ranged from a swimming pool for the Zwelethemba Township, lack of church sites, housing, construction in the area, tender document advises, lack of sports facilities in the townships, lack of youth skills development plan, unemployment and poor service delivery.

Arriving in buses and on foot just after 6pm for an Imbizo intend-ed to start at 7pm, the people expressed a concern that the demands they made at an Imbizo in 2004 have not yet been addressed.

The Imbizo was broadcast live throughout the Breede Valley and started on a sour note as Reverend Joe Mpanza had to be shouted down as he ‘abused’ the opportunity to open the proceedings with a prayer but attacked the provincial government and the municipality for failure to deliver on its promises.

“I do not understand how am I expected to pray at an Imbizo. An Imbizo is a place where all of us are afforded an opportunity to raise issues we want to raise. We have convened so many Imbizos, issues raised but not all the issues raised have been attended to.

“At a certain Imbizo we were promised a swimming pool. Today we are coming here before God but we are still waiting for that swim-ming pool. A budget was set aside for the streets to be tarred on this side of the township (Zwelethemba) but nothing has happened.”

At this point murmurs came from the audience that was waiting for Reverend Mpanza to call on the Almighty to guide them through the Imbizo. At this point the crowd started to sing: Nkosi Sihlangene Kuyo indlu yakhoYiza nawe sesingene Ezulwini lakhoEzulwini lakhoUbuncoko bakho Nawe masibuveLakhutyilwa Izwi lakho Nawe MasikuveNawe Masikuve(God we have met in Your house, Come in with us in Your Heaven…)

At this point Reverend Mpanza, feeling defeated in his attempt to raise his issues at the wrong time, started to pray.

Reverend Mpanza was not the only person to raise the is-sue around the swimming pool. Apparently at an Imbizo in 2004 the residents of Zwelethemba asked the provincial government to build a swimming pool in the area as there was none and children from that area who were drowning while swimming in a dam nearby.

It is alleged that Premier Ebrahim Rasool told the crowd: “Don’t worry, in December your children will be swimming in a pool”. The

Swimming pool and Rev Mpanza - the lighter side of Imbizo

community strongly believes that Premier Rasool has given the money to build a swimming pool to the municipality but the money has not been used for what it has been allocated for.

Protested Mrs Ngake: “I know that R600 000 has been allocated for the swimming pool but nothing has been done. How many children must drown in that dam before a swimming pool is built.

Another issue raised was construction development taking place in the Breede Valley area but the local unemployed people not benefiting through jobs, SMMEs, material supply, etc.

Mbulelo Mabala wanted to know how much money from the Provincial Budget has been allocated for development in Worcester and Zwelethemba.

“We hear about construction development coming to our area but no clear plans on how we are going to benefit from those developments.

Responding to these questions Education MEC Cameron Dug-more informed the crowd that since the ANC government took over the reigns in the Western Cape, many of the challenges facing poor com-munities have been addressed.

“I will not mention all the deliveries that have been made by the different government departments but I can say to you tonight that the ANC government has delivered on its commitments and will continue to do so.

“We are going to ask the Premier’s Department, the Department of Local Government and Housing and the Municipality to give a report on progress on the swimming pool issue. We will ensure that there is written report. It needs to be understood that the challenges of housing need to be balanced with that of the swimming pool.

“I want to indicate that at the previous Imbizo the issue of a school in Avian Park was raised and I want to inform you tonight that the tender for that school will be issued this year and the school will be delivered in 2009.

Mr Norhubata alleged that young people in the region met to form the Cape Winelands Youth Council but even today they have not received any support from the municipality.

MEC Dugmore committed to facilitate a meeting with the provin-cial youth commission, the district municipality and other stakeholders to ensure that youth units are established and are receiving the neces-sary support.

Babalwa Nombewu who works for the provincial government said the banking sector and the government subsidy system do not cater for middle-income employees. Madoda Langa concurred and asked that government looked at the issue.

He further asked for a proper police station for the Zwelethemba areas instead of the satellite police station and for sport to be revived at schools as young people engaged in destructive activities after school.

Tumelo Pawu alleged that seSotho was marginalized in schools in the Western Cape and that there was a lot skilled young people in the Worcester area but they were not employed. He challenged the govern-ment to bring back Trade Centers.

“Last week we met at the Government Lekgotkla and we looked at the challenges facing Worcester. I want to ask the mayor to allow us to include Worcester as part of the 21 priority areas in the Western Cape,” said MEC Dugmore.

“We hear about construction development coming to our area but no clear plans on how we are going to benefit from those developments.

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Stephen Ngobeni of Metrorail said that the rail between Atlantis and Cape Town should be in operation in mid 2010. The issue sur-rounding affordable transportation for the Atlantis people is being debated from previous Imbizo's in the town.

Angeline Simons requested during the Premier's Imbizo in Atlantis a Centre for the youth. She also wanted to know if the shebeens in the area are legal. As a youth she felt that these shebeens have negative influences on young people.

Atlantis, 10 April 2008

Imbizo Venue Date Time Imbizo Manager Contact Number DeploymentMossel Bay KwaNonqaba 14 April 2008 19h00 Linda Booi 083 327 1773 Premier Rasool

Sports Complex Min Uys

Min Ramatlakane

Min Fransman

Heidelberg Duivenshok 14 April 2008 11h00 Raymond Heunis 073 160 1702 Min Dowry

Community Hall Min Jacobs

Min Fransman

Vredenburg Louwville 14 April 2008 19h00 Nolan Adams 082 303 0398/ Min Essop

Community Hall 078 847 6358 Min Dyantyi

Safety Belville 14 April 2008 14h00 Bernard Joseph 0837101766 Min Ramatlakane

Town Hall Min Dyantyi

Min Dugmore

Imbizo management team contact listMansoor Jaffer (Project Manager) : 084 661 5216

Gert Witbooi (Communication) : 082 550 3938

Magnus de Jongh (Logistics) : 084 407 1503

Bernard Joseph (Partnerships) : 083 710 1766

Clive Stuurman (Content) : 082 579 4082

Solange Rosa (Content) : 084 408 2956

Juanita Fennel (Content) : 082 884 8091

Petro Van Rhyn : 083 641 5157 (Helpdesk Co-ordinator)

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