UPDATE ON RECYCLING SWOP SHOP
The Recycle Swap Shop project is suspended until further notice due to the lack of security at the God’s Acre precinct. The fences and gates have been destroyed, our buildings are being vandalised and we cannot guarantee the safety of volunteers and the community who support us. We have appealed to the Municipality to assist.
An announcement will be made in the press when we are ready to re-start the project. Thank you for your understanding!
In the meantime, there are skips for glass and tins at the Municipal yard on St Francis Drive next to the fire station.
Ivan Beaumont, Chairman,
Rotary Satellite Club St Francis
What is it that has people destroy what is given to them to improve their lives? How does burning the library or the community hall as happened in KwaNomzamo, Humansdorp on Tuesday advance their call for delivery of more and improved services when they are busy destroying the services they already have.
The community hall and library will need to be rebuilt taking funding away from other planned projects. In the coming months those trying to improve their lot through education will have no access to a library on their doorstep. Sadly it appears there is no consequence for wreaking such havoc and wanton destruction. Those responsible walk away proud of what they have done whilst those who are effected most by the loss of facilities remain mum instead of going to the authorities and reporting the perpetrators so that they can be removed from society, even only for a year or so.
It is time these communities stand up against these destroyers if they ever want to improve their lot. Certainly easier said than done but surely their must be community leaders who along with their ward councillors can motivate what must surely be a large majority who don’t want their services destroyed.
And on the subject of wanton destruction and a little closer to home!
Rotary St Francis and some dedicated members have done such a wonderful job in motivating and educating the kids, a adults, on the importance of recycling. The monthly recycling initiative that sees kids rewarded for bringing in plastic, old newspapers, bottles, even steel . These rewards can vary from a box of biscuits to, as happened last month, where one youngster saved his recycling credits eventually earning sufficient credits to earn himself a bicycle.
Today would have seen hordes of kids lined up at God’s Acre with their collection of plastic, paper and glass but only to be told that until further notice this is the end of the Rotary Recycling Swop Shop.
Why?
The scum that prowls Sea Vista decided to break in the wooden cabin so generously donated by an international Rotary club and when they found nothing to steel simply decided to cause as much damage as they could. Once again the few ruin it for the masses but you can bet your bottom dollar the community will not give these hooligans, no that is too nice a word let’s stay with scum, up to the authorities.
It is time for the residents of Sea Vista take back their village, but only they can do it.In the words of Mandela, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”. Make it happen Sea Vista before it is too late.
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This is all so sad, the burn and destroy mentality is alien to us and is de-motivating the many generous whites who give assistance to these townships.
Sea Vista seems to be degenerating into a den of shabeens and drug houses. The police are turning a blind eye to the most blatant abuses of licencing laws and the many decent folks there are living in hell.
The cosequences of this are being felt in SFB more and more and can only get much worse. The dedicated people supporting Neighbourhood Watch can only do so much but could do more with extra volunteers. We have to be prepared to protect ourselves and those amongst us who cannot.
Hmm lots of ‘Angry!’ emoticons but today, globally, securing property must be a priority in budgets for community initiatives. Save your anger for the klutzes who didn’t think of that aspect of this project. Security companies earn their living contracted to secure some incredibly expensive homes & successful businesses in this region, not only in St Francis Bay & the cape. Surely some basic measures could have been donated by said companies & police patrols be directed past the site? Are police only active & present at Christmas & New Year? I ask myself what motivates such acts of wanton destruction & meanness & it’s highly tempting to speculate & look to a sprawling informal settlements for answers. Can we really blame communities suffering desperate, bone-chilling, poverty, exclusion from educational & job-training opportunities & political betrayal at the hands of decades of corrupt, self-obsessed gvts if their frustrations & anger motivate their unlawful acts? One hears so much bleating on about ‘pulling together’ to get the country ‘working’ again but that should not only mean that the poor must ‘behave themselves’- it also means the wealthier in a community should also be more philanthropically minded & donate or offer services & goods at discounted prices towards grass roots community projects & initiatives like this where everyone stands to benefit. So apply some ‘tough love’ – don’t rebuild the library or community center, but push on by spending the money on projects it’s been earmarked for. People should learn from their mistakes & use their initiative to solve the new rash of problems their criminality has caused. Surprising how many satellite TV dishes litter the skyscape above the settlements. Use the internet for disseminating info instead of library books & stand under a tree in “sunny South Africa’s” veld for a necessary community gathering. It just might eradicate the “waiting for gvt hand-outs/action” mentality too.
I was the first to give to any project in Sea Vista to give the needy a hand up. NOW, after 2 attempted break-ins at my business I have stopped. We can keep on giving but do we get anything in return. The residents in “China” know who the delinquents are GIVE us their names. Give us something in return for all the hand outs you receive. For example, your pets being spayed, your kids getting birthday cake at Talhado all this and so much more. And all your destruction and toyi-toying does not engender any sympathy – it makes me angry. Next year march to the voting stations and use your vote to protest.