The Community News
Published by the Walkerville Agricultural Society - June / July 2010 Issue 66
Ukukhanya — Centre of Light
Opening of a Victim Empowerment Centre and Trauma Unit at De Deur SAPS
The de Deur SAPS is fortunate enough to have a spare building that they have been able to turn into a victim empowerment centre. The double story building has been furnished and decorated to resemble a normal home with a children's play area, lounge, interview area, kitchen and bathroom.
Colonel Slabbert opened the ceremony by telling us that in 2008 De Deur had only 21 CPF patrollers, today they have 151 with another 34 currently undergoing training - their aim is to have 500 patrollers for the de Deur and Walkerville area. Crime is at a level where the community has to become involved if we are to deal with it. There is no doubt that the Colonel is passionate about the cause and fully supports the concept of Community Police Forums. It was with the help and support of our very active CPF that the empowerment centre has become a reality. Victims of traumatic crimes need to be treated differently to other crimes—preferably away from the austerity of a charge office in a friendly and relaxing environment.
Brigadier du Bruyn was the next speaker, and he pointed out that the SAPS have 4 main functions;
Judicial effectiveness—to present cases to the courts in such a manner that criminals are competently and quickly dealt with.
Criminal disempowerment—to prevent crimes from happening in the first place. He also pointed out that while crime is down the incidence of violent crime is increasing.
Community empowerment—involving the local residents and community. De Deur SAPS has consistently outperformed all other SAPS stations within the Vereeniging cluster, and indication of their success in this task.
Victim empowerment—If the SAPS does not succeed with the first functions, then there is an even greater pressure on them to succeed in the last function.
Although the centre is almost completely equipped, there is still a need for clothing of all sizes and children’s books and toys. If you can assist please drop off any donations at the SAPS de Deur marked for the attention of Pauline Kauffman.
We were also very happy to hear that the Kliprivier SAPS has made a large office available to the CPF to convert into a Victim Empowerment Centre. Several ladies will be visiting the venue shortly to find out what is required, and how best to set up the centre. Unlike de Deur they will be starting with an empty shell! If anyone falling under the Kliprivier SAPS is in a position to donate furniture, paint, pictures, children’s toys, handyman skills, or even cash to assist with the much required revamp please contact Councillor Rob Jones on 082 410 5633, Mariana Kruger 083 585 6928, Elaine Potgieter 082 573 2780, Ann Clarke 083 785 4966 or e-mail info@walkervillesa.co.za.
Editorial by Elaine Potgieter
In my wildest dreams would I ever have thought I’d be writing about soccer! But here I am all caught up in the hype and excitement of the World Cup. Our family has spent a small fortune on tickets, Bafana Bafana gear and all sorts of soccer mementos. We have been glued to the TV for every match. Like many of our local venues, I’ve been scouring my recipe books for all things foreign and exotic.
Our team might be out, but they did us proud in their final game. Now our biggest problem is who to support? England, because both our mothers were English? Germany, because I am employed by a German company? Hell No! We will only consider those options if there are no African teams left in the game. Secretly I worry that I have been brain-washed by the media. Nevertheless I am incredibly proud that our country has again proved to the world that we know how to host an outstanding sporting event.
We were at the opening ceremony and I can truly say what an incredible experience! The awful traffic and long queues were a small price to pay to be part of the national pride and wonderful camaraderie that have marked the first half of the world cup.
Whoever makes it to the final, I’m sure we will be “vuvazeling” along with gusto!
Bits & Pieces
"Precious Princess" Ladies Conference
Friday 27th – Saturday 28th August at the Winds of Change Church in Mondeor. All details and registration forms re the conference can be found on the church web at www.windsofchangechurch.co.za. Or contact Lizeth on 011 941.3203 for more information.
Local Farmer’s Markets
Walkerville Farmer’s Market – Opening 4th September 2010
Organic and fresh produce markets strive towards wholeness and goodness. The food is fresh and some organic. The objective is to establish a permanent outlet for fresh farm produce – vegetables, fruit, nuts, herbs, chickens, eggs and honey – produced by the greater Walkerville residents, as well as farmers from surrounding areas. This will be coupled with home-crafted products and will be similar to those held in Henley-on-Klip and Bryanston. One could relax at the coffee shop on the premises and enjoy light music playing in the background. Children can have fun in the touch-farm. The market will run on the first Saturday of each month from 10am onwards. There is ample secure parking. The market will house 100 stalls. If you are interested in more information or to make a booking, please contact Jules Crown on 082 589 9676 for further assistance.
Erfdeel Farmer’s Market
We are starting an Art & Farmer’s Market at Erfdeel Farm situated in the Nooitgedacht / Drumblade area close to Walkerville, Kliprivier. The first market will take place on Saturday 14th August. We would like to establish market for producers to sell their quality products. We invite the community and the public to support and enjoy a wonderful day out in the country, surrounded by agricultural land. Register and book your stand before the 15 July. For any other information, please contact Riana de Villiers 011 903.8379 / 083 708 7316.
Lavendar Place Potjie Competition
Saturday 7th August at our craft market on Klipriver Drive, Mulbarton. R50 entry per potjie. Judging will take place at 2pm. Contact Jean to enter, or for more information 082 547 7277.
Midvaal Gospel festival
28th August from 9h00 till late at the Dr Malan High School in Meyerton. The purpose of this festival is to raise funds to buy food for the needy in the Midvaal area - especially with Christmas in mind. Stalls will also be available to raise funds for local churches. Performers include: Danie Botha, Charlie Dicks, Ronell Erasmus, Freda Francis, Rina oretorius, Ockert & Jan Snyman, Hartklop and 4 Real. For more information contact Christo 083 263 9590 or Isabel 071 092 7926.
Letterbox
Letters will be published provided a name and address is supplied. You may use a nom de plume if you wish. Letters that are too scathing or controversial will be printed with a reply from the second party. The Editors may edit material if necessary. Write to Box 861 Walkerville 1876, or e-mail info@walkervillesa.co.za.
Dear Editor
I would like to thank Eskom for the efficient and timeous service we received on Friday 11th May. We, in Hillside Drive, Walkerville are very grateful that our safety and concerns remained a priority at such an exciting time as our World Cup. The public are quick to complain but very seldom applaud our “unsung heroes”. Please convey our thanks and appreciation to the Eskom team.
IK—Walkerville
Dear IK,
Solly from Eskom replied “thank you for the feedback, it is appreciated” and you are so right—we don’t applaud good service often enough.
Dear Editor,
Just two little “issues” I would like to comment on and the better of the two I will certainly leave as the latter. What I would like to bring to the attention of the Walkerville residents is – if you make reservations at one of the many events advertised in our area, please be decent enough to stick to your reservation as booking and not pitching is just down right rude. I know for a fact that one of the advertised venues had bookings for 16 people for father’s day – of which one family pitched. Please keep in mind that catering is by no means a simple task and takes time to plan, prep and execute. If you cannot make it – please have the decency to at lease call and cancel – it is only common sense, decency and plain good manners! Now last and certainly not least – last week, an e-mail was sent being rather on the nasty side to the editor regarding puppy farms and her so called rude and abrupt manner. Putting the mail aside … I would like to take this opportunity in thanking the AgSoc Society – more specifically the editor for all the super wonderful awesome work that you do for all of US in Walkerville. US obviously includes our animals, the aged, homeless, charities - as well as people residing in our area as well as operating businesses. Even though we do not say so nearly often enough – you really are appreciated in our community THANK YOU!
LS - Walkerville
Dear LS,
Thank you for the kind words, but I am just part of a group of wonderful people who make their time available to our community and the many people who need our support so I will pass on your praise to all of them as well. As for THAT e-mail the less said the better!
Die Boeretroos Hoekie deur John Stephens
Kom ons vergeet nou eers maar van die aftellery na die grootste sportgebeurtenis wat nog ooit in die land aangebied is.
Laas het ons oor die “stil” Kamffers in ons geweste gesels. Maar wat gebeur in tussentyd? Een van die Kamfers, die keer net met een “f”, naamlik professor Louis Kamfer van Port Elizabeth, laat toe ‘n Campher/Kamfer/Kamffer-familieboek verskyn! Die “stil” Kamffers van ons omgewing is toe al die tyd familie en verskyn in “lewende lywe” in hierdie boek! By nadere ondersoek blyk dit toe dat ons almal maar afstam van die heel eerste Campher, Lourens of Lorenz, wat reeds in ongeveer 1670+ hier aangekom het. Voorheen het ek al gesê dat my Ma ‘n nooi Campher was. In ons soeke na die geskiedenis van die Kamffers hier in ons omgewing het dit toe duidelik geword dat ons ook maar almal familie is. Campher of Kamffer of Kamfer!
Wat so ironies is, is dat mense soos Tant Sannie Kamffer en ons saam in een kerk was. En nooit het ons van die band tussen ons geweet nie! Hoe anders kon ons optrede teenoor mekaar nie dalk gewees het nie.
Maar, nou het ek alreeds, danksy Louis se boek, met een van die aangenaamste dames van Nooitgedacht, Martie High (gebore Kamffer) kennis kon maak! Om alles te kroon, boer hulle nog gedeeltelik op Nooitgedachtplaas. Die plaas is geleë op die Randvaalpad, net maar ‘n paar kilometer van Walkerville af. Haar Pa, Willem Jacobus Kamffer, gebore 21 Desember 1931, het op plot 50, Nooitgedacht, geboer. Hy was getroud met Constance Adina Sonntag, gebore 14 Maart 1941. Sy Pa was Willem Jacobus, gebore 18 November 1891, boer van Nooitgedacht. Willie was getroud met Cecilia Maria Nolte, gebore 9 November 1896.
Dan is daar ook afstammelinge wat net hier anderkant by Tamboekiesfontein te lande gekom het. Hierdie Willem Jacobus Kamffer (Campher), gebore 21 Januarie 1811 is gedoop in Graaff-Reinet, trou in 1837 met Hester Geertruyda Smit(h) en bring 11 kinders in die lewe! Hul eersteling, Samuel Jacobus, getroud met Hendrina Johanna Marais en na haar dood met Johanna Cornelia Smit(h), sorg vir ‘n hele 13 kindertjies. Een van die seuns, Frans Hendrik, neem op 14 jaar oud aan die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog deel. Van die Kamffer-nageslag woon deesdae in Nieu Seeland en ander in Amerika.
Dis ‘n bietjie inligting oor die Nooitgedacht-Kamffers en Tamboekiesfontein s’n, maar daar is baie meer oor die plaaslike Kamffers. Ons het nog nie eers na die Hartzenbergfontein-Kamffers gekyk nie. By ‘n volgende geleentheid kyk ons ‘n bietjie na hierdie Kamffers. Ook interessant is die ondertrouery van Kamffers met plaaslike families. So, algaande, word die Kamffer-raaisel van Walkerville, stukkie vir stukkie opgelos!
Tot ons weer oor ‘n koppie boeretroos gesels: Hartlike groete van huis tot huis!
It's official: Midvaal is the best place to live
Government report confirms DA-run Midvaal (only opposition run municipality in Gauteng) is rated the top municipality in Gauteng
Midvaal, a tiny municipality south of Johannesburg with 100,000 residents, has come out tops in a Gauteng survey measuring quality of life - but the area is also home to those worst affected by poverty. A report from the Gauteng Planning Commission's Quality of Life Survey, released by Provincial Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, ranks the Democratic Alliance-run Midvaal Municipality as the province's top municipality for quality of life.
Midvaal has been governed by the DA since December 2000, and over the last the decade has been working hard to bring the Democratic Alliance's vision of an Open Opportunity Society to Gauteng.
The survey, which was conducted in 2009, shows that at almost every level, across numerous ranking categories, Midvaal residents experience better living conditions and governance than those living in other municipalities. The report shows that Midvaal has the highest satisfaction rating for any municipality in Gauteng. Midvaal is the only municipality in Gauteng whose residents express more confidence in municipal government than in the provincial and national governments, and the only municipality in Gauteng where more than half of all residents are either satisfied or very satisfied with local government.
This is extremely noteworthy, as municipal governance is the coalface of service delivery. Without well-functioning local governments, development efforts will collapse into service delivery protests, as we see daily across South Africa. Mayor Nast conceded that Midvaal was hit by a service-delivery protest three months ago, when residents marched to the council offices because they did not want to pay for municipal services. He said the issue had been resolved and that most residents, most of them working class, could afford to pay their rates. Of particular significance in this report is the fact that 68% of residents in Midvaal say they are either very satisfied or satisfied with the dwelling in which they reside. This is the highest percentage in the whole of Gauteng. Only 7% of residents said they were very dissatisfied with their dwelling. These figures come on the back of the launch in 2008 of the R8-billion Doornkuil integrated housing development in Midvaal, which is in the process of constructing 18 000 new residential housing units, 60% of which are finance-linked housing for lower income earners.
Unemployment in Midvaal, at around 26%, is far below that of other municipalities (Tshwane, at second position, stands at around 40%). This reflects the municipality's ability to attract investment - by companies such as Heineken and Ferrero Rocher - which in turn creates employment for local residents. Midvaal's record on job creation mirrors the performance of the DA elsewhere; in the Western Cape, for instance, the provincial unemployment rate dropped sharply in the first three months of this year. Midvaal mayor Timothy Nast said at a press conference that "good governance" and "investor confidence" were the main reasons his council had the lowest unemployment rate in the province. This is what happens when administrations create the right environment for job creation, and expanding opportunities.
In addition to all of this, Midvaal has the lowest incidence of absolute destitution: only 3% of households lacked money to feed children in the 12 months preceding the survey. The corresponding figures for other municipalities are all in the double digits. Midvaal also registered the lowest rate of alienation of any municipality in Gauteng; fewer than one in five residents believe that "no one cares about people like me", and Midvaal has the highest proportion of residents who believe they can influence decisions around them.
None of this is cause for complacency, as even a few incidences of poverty are too many to be ignored. However, this is positive proof that the DA's vision of an Open Opportunity Society is the path to a bright future. (Statement issued by the Democratic Alliance, May 27 2010)
We discover the grave of most probably the oldest inhabitant of our area! by John Stephens
Thanks to Julius and Judith Kunzmann a group of interested Walkervillers had a splendid and most interesting afternoon. Fifteen of us met at the Kunzmann’s and visited the Kamffer graves on the property. Julius had kindly cut the long grass so that the graves were very visible. After the necessary photographs and talks we moved up the opposite hill to view the grave of Johannes Mogotsi.
We were told that it was a walk of only about 900 meters but Julius didn’t say how steep the gradient would be! In any case we had a leisurely walk up the hill. Accompanying us were three of Johannes Mogotsis family members. Julius had come across Gabriel and he was prepared to tell us a bit more of this grave.
At the grave, neatly kept and surrounded by a sturdy metal frame, we saw this with our own eyes. Here lies the eldest person we know of in our area. Johannes Mogotsi was born in 1843 and died in 1945, aged 102 years! This was the inscription on the headstone, in the form of a scroll.
Gabriel told us that Johannes lived on this Hartzenbergfontein farm and worked there. Gabriel’s Aunt lived on the opposite side to the south of the grave. Gabriel visited her often, especially during school holidays. His parents moved to Soweto in order for Gabriel to attend school. The family erected the headstone in order to honour this old man. They later also erected the surround.
Johannes must have worked for the Kamffers and could have seen some of the skirmishes the Kamffers had with the British troops during the Anglo-Boer War. Unfortunately, as with so many genealogical experiences, he is not alive to tell us about this.
That’s why we must talk to as many of the old inhabitants of our area as is possible, before it is also too late!
Conservation Corner by Ivan Parkes
Any questions you have about conservation and local wildlife may be e-mailed to ivan@thorntree.co.za and we will do our best to find the answer for you.
The National Association of Conservancy Societies of South Africa (NACSSA) has been informed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that at their June meeting held in Gland in Switzerland, that NACSSA’s application for membership to this worldwide association was approved. This is a great step forward for NACSSA, and also for our two local conservancies—Thorntree, Klipriver, Henley on Klip and Drumblade Conservancy. Well done to all that were involved.
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network - a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. The Union’s headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, Switzerland.
Walkerville’s Big Five?
Driving throughout the country, you will notice every little village and dorp advertising their “Big 5”. It seems to be quiet the in thing to identify something that your area has that is special—be it a bird, plant, insect, reptile or mammal. So why not Walkerville as well? We have several active Conservancies within our borders so it should be simple to compile a list. However that is too easy—so we are asking you our readers to send us your list of our area’s Big 5. You must be absolutely confident of the prescience of your nomination in the area (photographic evidence would be wonderful!). We have a lovely braai set to give away to the chosen entry (Judges decision is final). So get your entry to us before the 14th August. You can fax to 011 837.7458 attention Elaine, or e-mail info@walkervillesa.co.za or drop it off at Serendipity Book Exchange at Yellowley’s.
Down Country Roads by Louise Southey
The Modern Mums
a tongue-in-cheek look at raising kids in the 21st century
We hear the new, young mummies say
“We’re raising our kids in OUR way!”
No more ‘children should be seen not heard’
The whole idea is quite absurd!
Today’s kids have the right, it seems
To say and do just as they please.
They run amok and bounce off walls
And just ignore the “Don’t do ...” calls.
They know their mums are far too kind
To warm up their dear, small behinds.
The spanky spoon’s not taken out
The modern mums have lost their clout!
Instead of that their mummies say:
“You don’t eat pumpkin? That’s okay.”
“Please close your mouth, don’t wave your fork …”
(The kids grow deaf from all this talk.)
Right in the lounge is where they play
And when they go – their mess just stays.
“Pick up your toys before you go…”
“Oh it’s okay, you’re tired, I know.”
“Now go upstairs and brush your teeth.”
“You heard me now – I’LL COUNT TO THREE!”
(The kids play on, they know that she
Will count a hundred times to three….)
The very harshest they endure:
“No Play station for you, d’you hear?”
or “To the bathroom, naughty boy
Until you learn to share your toys.”
A “Sorry mummy!” soon fixes things
(They know just how to pull her strings)
And after being ‘good’ for days
Revert back to their wicked ways!
They simply flaunt and break the rules
‘Cos discipline is SO UNCOOL!
So ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’
has made this generation wild.
Despite all this, they’ll grow up okay
and become good citizens one day.
They’ll sit around and all make jokes
about the strange ways of the old folks!
Taking Recycling to a new level
This amazing contraption of a car can be seen ‘driving’ around Wheelers Farm. It has been built from scrap metal and bicycle parts, and it is fully ‘drivable’.
Local estate agents, Steve House and Charles Burrows, were amazed when they came across this car pedaling down the road. The proud builder / owner was delighted to show off his engineering skills. It has brakes (including a hand brake), lights, windscreen wipers, and they are all functional. We didn’t find out how fast it goes or how long it took him to build it!
It is sad to think that such an industrious mind is part of the great unemployed masses, but we are sure that he and his unusual little car would make a great attraction at some of our local venues when they have their “Classic Car Rally's”. If you would like to get in touch with the car’s builder you can contact Charles on 082 818 1520.
