Aberdeen ABET Learners Excel

Standing (fltr): Esteline de Jager, Rudy Jacobs, Androline Grobbelaar, Roberto de Jager.
Seated: Leonie Bedaar, Niklaas Erasmus. Absent: Roeline Fick

Four learners from Aberdeen’s ABET centre excelled in their level four exams at the end of last year. Top student was Leonie Bedaar, who achieved an A grade in both Human & Social Science and Arts & Culture with her other subjects attaining B and C grades. Rudy Jacobs and Roeline Fick also achieved an A grade in the same subjects.
Esteline de Jager, coordinator for ABET in Aberdeen, is very proud of her students and justifiably so. “They are all such a pleasure to work with, and so enthusiastic. If one of them is finding some of the work difficult, they all help each other, and by doing this they reinforce their own learning” said Esteline.
This year the level 4 students are taking Afrikaans, English, Maths Literacy and Ancillary Health Care. On completion of level 4, students are awarded a General Education and Training Certificate, which is equivalent to a Grade 12 (matric) certificate.
So far this year, 130 students have enrolled for the ABET courses and still more are expected.

Article By: Sue Shaw

Another Storm Hits Aberdeen

On the evening of Sunday 6 February, Aberdeen was ravaged by another ferocious storm, while many residents are still trying to recover from the hail storm just before Christmas. Torrential rain, thunder and lightning and gusting winds this time attacked the town from the Graaff-Reinet side, uprooting several trees and, in at least one case, causing a roof to be completely blown off.

Piet Roux, a 77 year old pensioner from Grey Street, was startled by a tremendous noise during the storm and was horrified to discover that the roof of the cottage on his property had been completely blown off by a freak gust of wind! The 100m² roof landed in his garden, knocking over several pots, but fortunately not causing any damage to the main house. Roux estimates that the repairs will cost at least R50 000 – and he still has to replace about 80m of guttering on the main house from December’s hail storm.

Another casualty was the Tarantula viewing platform hanging from the NGK tower. The wind caused this to blow off to one side, with the wires tangled – it was subsequently removed on Monday morning for repair.

The whole town also suffered a lengthy power cut. For over an hour in the early evening the power levels fluctuated dramatically, until eventually at 7.15pm the power went off totally. Apparently this was caused by a lightning strike. Power was only restored just after 1am the next morning.

Article By: Sue Shaw

Primary Schools Athletics Trials

On an overcast morning (Monday 31 January) the three primary schools in Aberdeen enjoyed a well-organised day of athletics at the Showground. A total of approximately 250 learners took part, from the new six year olds to the open age group. Many different distance races were run on the track and the field events comprised long jump, high jump and shot put.

This year the event was organized by Luxolo Intermediate School, and Mr Mathiale and his team are to be congratulated on a well-planned and run day. All the teachers from the three schools were involved as race officials or organizers. The support from parents and those children not running was very encouraging to see, and those children participating ran their hearts out.

This athletics day acts as trials to choose a team to represent the combined Aberdeen primary schools which will compete against the Graaff-Reinet primary schools on Friday 4 February. If their enthusiasm and commitment is anything to go by, they will certainly make Aberdeen proud!

Article By: Sue Shaw

Aberdeen Cemetery Neglected

Many residents are up in arms at the terrible state of disrepair of the Aberdeen town cemetery. This important heritage site in the town seems to be suffering from severe neglect, and it seems that no-one has taken responsibility for looking after the cemetery for quite some time. “Oom Jan” van Heerden used to work very hard to maintain the cleanliness and neatness of the graves and surrounds, often paying helpers out of his own pocket, but since his death last year, the air of neglect is evident all over.

Mrs Zan Fitzhenry, who has two children buried in the graveyard, is horrified by the state of neglect, and has approached the Aberdeen Heritage, Archive and Tourism Bureau for help. “The tree that was blown down in the hailstorm has not even been moved, and all the chains and pillars near the war graves have been pulled out. This is a disgusting reflection of the lack of care by those responsible” said Fitzhenry.

Another resident who is very angry is Mrs Esmè Finnis. She too has family buried at the cemetery, both in the main section and the open section near the Jewish cemetery. She had visitors over the holidays who wanted to visit family graves and felt she had to apologise for the state of the cemetery being full of weeds and with many tombstones stolen and graves vandalised. “I have approached the Municipality about this, and asked them why the wall, that was broken in the March storm nearly a year ago, still has not been repaired. They told me they don’t have a mason to fix the wall!” Finnis is determined that something needs to be done, and soon, before Aberdeen cemetery goes the same way as those in many other small towns.

Dallis Graham, of AHATB has applied for funding from Cacadu to place numbered markers at each grave site, to enable visitors to easily find the graves of interest to them. There is little point in this however if the whole graveyard is in such disrepair that it is an embarrassment to the town. The AHATB is also going to appeal to SA Heritage for funding to have someone employed to maintain the cemetery and the organization is prepared to take responsibility for the cemetery if funding Is received. This should however be the responsibility of the Municipality. Another concern of Graham’s is that vagrants are using the area for drinking and other unsavoury activities, as evidenced by the large number of empty bottles and other litter.

Many residents have taken to cleaning up and weeding the area around their own family graves, as they are not prepared to suffer the indignity of the neglect. This should however not be necessary and it is time for those in charge of maintenance to fulfill their responsibilities.

Article Submitted By: Dallis Graham