Thank You For Feeling It...

To all who particpated in the joyful felt-prayer for regional rain suggested through a recent entry on this weblog, "Thank you!" This nourishing wet blessing is gratefully received by us all. It brought tears to my eyes and squelchy mud between my toes. God is great.

Article By: Michael Brown

* Neglected * Vandilised * Ignored * Destroyed * Dirty *

The above adjectives fully describe Aberdeen Town, Lotusville and Thembalisizwe. The IDP - Integrated Development Plan, according to an article printed in the Advertiser, did a Transect Walk around Aberdeen with the IDP coordinator Leonie Fouché and representatives of the various Wards, so we can presume that the local Aberdeen Councilors and Ward Committee Members were present on this walk. It was noted in the press, previous to this walk, that Aberdeen Councilor Vuysile Jacobs had not handed in the compulsory maps or knowledge of the local areas in due time. Councilor Jacob’s reasons were not acceptable by the Camdeboo Municipality nor the CBP Community Based Planning, and it was suggested that a reprimand be delivered to him in a firm manner. It is therefore understandable that the following brief and meaningless comments for Ward 1 (Aberdeen) were made by the IDP:

- The first comment was that the Fonteinbos still had a “few problems” but these were receiving attention!
- They noted the vandalism through out the town and the non-maintenance of sporting and recreational facilities!
- They noted non-maintenance of all the water furrows!
- They were interested in the progress of emerging farmers?
- They were also curious to know who was funding a poultry project.

This Transect Walk could have taken place under cover of darkness, for all that was achieved by the Aberdeen Ward Committee Members and the Aberdeen Councilors.
The above article is frightening to people who live their daily lives in an environment of impending disaster from the Aberdeen dumpsite where rubbish is already taking over the surrounding areas and threatening to surround the town.
Then, there is juvenile crime, due to the lack of ‘after-school facilities’ or recreational activity areas, such as tennis courts, a swimming pool and a reasonable park and play area.
Water restrictions too are due to non-maintenance of the local dam which is half full of silt, and perhaps the non-servicing of pumps. The natural spring water has now ceased to flow for the last four months, yet another 400 RDP houses are about to be built. Who is going to supply these new occupants with water?.
Sadly, Aberdeen, Lotusville and Thembalisizwe all suffer from the same lack of knowledge and expertise as shown by the locally elected officials, who obviously do not have the ability to run the town or perhaps they are just disinterested and are in office for the salary and possibly the perks?
Traffic calming measures were promised on the entrance road into Aberdeen leading from the slip off road from Graaff-Reinet some two years ago, where speeds of up to 120 kilometres in a 60 kilometer zone have been reported. Please, whoever is responsible for installing these calming measures and has been unable to do so, stand up and explain this to the young Aberdeen children who walk these roads to and from school daily.
Nothing is being managed in this town. There is no pride or respect for this town as none is given to it. Workers who are employed to clean the roads of Aberdeen can be seen daily, standing around in groups chatting and leaning on their implements, or as has been reported, filling ditches with water to soak their feet. Perhaps they should be sent out with masks and gloves, to clean up the disgusting Aberdeen dumpsite instead?
What exactly do the residents of Aberdeen, Lotusville and Thembalisizwe have to do in order to save this situation and have a clean well-run town? Someone HELP!!

Article By: Joan Tinker

Swimming Pool & Pool House Highlights Decay Of Municipal Services In Aberdeen

This empty, rubbish filled, vandalized and soul destroying looking swimming pool was apparently going to be revitalized by a company formed by locally disadvantaged Lotusville and Thembalisizwe women. They were to be trained in life saving techniques and in the ability to give swimming lessons. This area around the pool was to have a pool house equipped with toilets and necessary changing rooms. Secure fencing was to be erected and strict maintenance was to be maintained by this company.
Aberdeen (South Africa) must surely be the town where Lewis Carroll wrote the famous fairy story ‘Alice in Wonderland’. It must have here that he received his inspiration. Summer after summer passes and the school children trail home, tired, listless and hot. There is no relief anywhere from this heat which at times climbs to 41 degrees.

The swimming pool house has long been vandalized, toilet seats, doors and fixtures stolen. Windows are broken, and the building and surrounding area looks similar to the bombed sites you see on ‘Sky News’.
If this company was ever formed, where is the company now? And where is the finance relegated to this project, if there ever was one? Hopefully this ‘project’ is still going to happen and these intrepid ladies are away somewhere, learning to swim and having lessons in life saving techniques and business techniques on how to run a company.

Article By: Joan Tinker

Can They Be Repaired? Will Anyone Bother?

When you watch the joyous, fluid action of Roger Federer on a tennis court, it is difficult to imagine what he would think of the derelict Aberdeen Tennis Club’s courts. Being half South African, he might consider helping out here, he does in other parts of the country, because quite honestly there is no other way these courts are ever going to be repaired. This will definitely not happen while the appointed officials who are in charge of Aberdeen’s present daily and future town and sport complex situation have anything to do with it. For local people to be at a loss when they so badly want to be proud of their town is frustrating and harmful to the psyche of Aberdeen. Experiencing this lack of initiative, care, and planning for the future, does not inspire this town to motivate itself to any great heights. The youth of Aberdeen, Lotusville and Thembalisizwe, have the awesome task of self-motivation on a daily basis in this atmosphere of dirt and no progress. The photograph of the once good conditioned tennis courts, tells its own story, as does the derelict, vandalized club house, with doors, windows and all fixtures stolen and the dreadful odour of urine and faecal matter very prevalent.
Another sad reminder of Aberdeen’s official’s inability in knowledge and expertise.

Article By: Joan Tinker

Lack Of Commitment By Aberdeen Municipality

A small survey was done on highlighting the state of Aberdeen, Lotusville and Thembalisizwe. This survey shows a complete lack of commitment to the town and surrounding areas by the Municipality. It clearly shows their lack of ability to perform important tasks in maintaining a clean and workable town, with water which should be available to all. People in Lotusville and Thembalisizwe get little water. The lack of trust and confidence in the Aberdeen Municipality is evident, and this must be rectified, if not by local government, then by higher authorities. The Premier of the Eastern Cape should be requested to visit Aberdeen. All political parties should highlight the predicament that Aberdeen is facing.

Comment from Chairperson of the DA in Aberdeen Samantha Jankovich:
1. The filthy state of the building on the corner of Hope Street: The Municipality confirmed that the owner had given an undertaking to improve the building in June 2009. No results as yet.
2. Shift workers were requested to clean up after Saturday morning shoppers as tourists invariably pass through the town on weekends. No response since August 2009.
3. The Municipality was requested to assist with garden refuse. No response to this request.
4. The Municipality was requested to clean up Lotusville, for which the residents must also take responsibility, as the state of the suburb is disgusting. No response to this request and Lotusville resembles a dumpsite.
5. Punitive measures should be taken against “serial litterers” such as Bangladeshi’s in Grey Street, and the shop owners on the corner of Hope Street. Empty cartons are left lying around with litter which gets blown into the Lei water Channels in the case of Grey Street.

Comments from Owners of Karoo Moons Aberdeen:
1. Documents were submitted to the Municipality 2 years ago to approve signage for Karoo Moons. No response as yet.
2. The Municipality fails to instruct owners of derelict properties to maintain their properties. These properties are left in an uninhabitable condition for years. This has a devaluation effect on Aberdeen.

Comments from Aberdeen resident Ian Hamblin:
1. Cars race along Grey and Cathcart Streets irrespective of Stop signs ‘still in place’.
2. The Municipality should consider making all intersections 4 way stops.
3. In certain areas of Aberdeen “stop signs” have been removed. The Municipality should have replaced these months ago.

Comments from Hyper Foods in Aberdeen:
1. The lack of public toilet facilities in town. This is the reason why nearly every tree in Aberdeen and behind most buildings reeks of urine. There is a building in town centre which supposedly houses toilets. Why is this not being made available to the public and controlled by the Municipality? No organization or initiative.
2. Lack of rubbish bins outside of Hyper Foods. The Lei water Channels are being used as a rubbish bin. The Municipality was requested to provide these. No result as yet.
3. Although Aberdeen has water restrictions, Hawkers wash their cars using municipal water which carries a fine. Nothing is being done to stop this practice.
4. Electricity accounts have escalated this month. No reason has been given by the Municipality.

Comments from Aberdeen Tuinkafee:
1. People who come into town on ‘all pay day’ and on Fridays and Saturdays have no where to sit. The Municipality provides no benches in the public square.
2. Shoppers have no option but to sit on the roadside.

Comments from Aberdeen resident Ms Sandra Bowker:
1. The state of the dump site is of great concern.
2. Non-or-selective enforcement of Aberdeen By-laws e.g. keeping farm animals in a residential area.
3. Non-or-selective enforcement of Aberdeen By-laws e.g. using residential properties for business use.
4. Not ensuring owners keep their properties/land clean and tidy.
Examples of litter filled properties can be seen which is both unsightly and unhealthy and devalues the area.
5. The Municipality needs to change its arrogant attitude and start engaging with residents. The Municipality staff should be reminded that they are public servants and the residents of Aberdeen pay their wages.
6. Although the Library Hall kitchen tap, which was highlighted in the Advertiser as streaming precious water for over a year, this, the Municipality has as yet not repaired.
7. Invasive plants which are threatening near the LBK/TuinRouteAgri Building have still not been dealt with.
8. Advice for the Municipality is to replace its administrative staff.

As Aberdeen D.A. Chairperson Samantha Jankovich remarked, “For a town run under the best Municipality in the country, this state of affairs is untenable and something must be done to facilitate ensuring that Aberdeen is kept neat and clean.”

Article By: Joan Tinker

No Pay For Aberdeen Hospital Staff In February 2010

On the 10th February 2010, 34 of the Aberdeen Hospital staff were informed by the Manager of the Aberdeen Hospital Mr Bertram Vanga, together with Mr Hugo Saaiman, Chairperson of the Hospital Board, that the Aberdeen Hospital would be unable to pay their salaries on the 15th of February 2010.
The Hospital staff were informed that the budget did not stretch to paying wages and that there was also no guarantee that payment of wages would be made to the staff in March either.
According to staff members, the Branch Manager for Graaff-Reinet Mr P. Koeberg was approached for assistance, as was the M.P.L. Mr L. Pikinini.
On Friday 12th February, the Hospital staff persuaded Mr Vanga to write a letter on their behalf to the M.E.C. for the Eastern Cape Health Services. This letter was taken by a union representative of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union to the Department of Health in Bisho.
All 34 of the hospital staff are in impossible circumstances. They are angry at the delay in management informing them of the hospital’s financial position. Their electricity accounts have to be paid by the 16th of the month. If the electricity is ‘cut off’ there will be an R180 reconnection fee, plus interest charged on overdue accounts. Rentals and bonds have to be paid. School fees are due for payment, food, petrol, and general everyday living expenses have to be met.
Staff members who are off sick or are on leave, have still not been informed of their plight by the hospital management.
In spite of their appalling circumstances, the hospital staff continues to work giving care to hospital patients and those outpatients in need. It is impossible to say how long this situation can continue.
In an interview given by an extremely concerned Mr Bertram Vanga, he explained how the Department of Health had approved his budget for the financial year which was R9.9 million in total. The Aberdeen Hospital was then given R5.7million of their original approved budget, of which they were told that R1.4 million would be given quarterly. Mr Vanga wrote to the Department explaining that this would not be sufficient on which to pay salaries.

Letters were written to The Director of Hospital Services in Bisho Mrs Nyikana specifying and tabulating the shortfall. Finance was promised, but was not made available to the Hospital. At all the Budget meetings during the course of the year, the shortfall was explained in detail but no finance was forthcoming. On 28th January 2010, Mr Vanga wrote and emailed another letter to The Director of Hospital Services tabulating all expenses, attaching the original budget and all correspondence that he had sent to that Department, requesting R2.3 million in order to cover hospital expenses and wages. He has as yet received no acknowledgement or response to this letter or to his frequent phone calls.
Mr Vanga has also requested that the Department of Health send an auditor should it assist him in receiving the full hospital budget.
According to Mr Mzana, Deputy to Mrs Nyikana, the letter written to her was taken to the Superintendent General Doctor S. Pillay on the 10th February.
Mr Vanga feels that the position that Aberdeen Hospital is in is due to the Department of Health allocating its own budget and not taking into account the tabulated budget given to them.
Mr Vanga said that he only expects a payment of R1.5 million in April which will not cover wages or outstanding expenses.
Mr Vanga has had to take loans from both Willowmore and Adelaide Hospitals, who are now requesting these outstanding amounts to be repaid.
As one of the Hospital Board Directors confirmed, the Aberdeen Hospital is a Provincial Aided Hospital. 90% of the funds are provided by Government and 10% are supposed to come from the community. As Aberdeen is possibly the poorest town in the Eastern Province, collecting funds from the community is an impossible task which faces the Aberdeen Hospital Board.
The Hospital Board has expressed their willingness to be taken over by the Province which would give them full funding and a meeting was arranged to take place in November 2009 for this purpose. This meeting was postponed until 15th January 2010. This meeting was then further postponed and then postponed indefinitely. It had been hoped that the Aberdeen Hospital would be taken over by the Province by the 1st April 2010.
Mr Vanga said that everybody at the Hospital was affected, and that he sincerely hoped that assistance would be forthcoming.

Article By: Joan Tinker