Youth Centre Essen Witzenberg

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Youth Centre Essen Witzenberg</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Previous correspondence - if any - follows after in sequence below.</B></div> <bR> <div> ----- Original Message ----- </div> <div> <B>From:</B> John at Rocky Valley </div> <div> <B>To:</B> Frans Schrauwen </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 19, 2010 12:27 PM</div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> Trip to Belgium by councillors and possibly staff</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Frans Schrauwen</div> <div> Essen Municipality</div> <div>  </div> <div> Dear Frans,</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Herewith (below this mail) is a copy of an email I had sent to the Municipal Manager of the Witzenberg Municipality recently to which I have not yet had a reply.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> It has come to my attention over the past two weeks as Chairperson of the Tulbagh Branch of the DA and Chairperson of TRIF (Tulbagh Ratepayers and Inwoners Forum of which I am also Chairperson, that a new 'Youth Centre' is being planned adjacent to the Crèche in Tulbagh. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> I am most concerned by this development, not because I would not encourage any interest in the youth of Tulbagh, or anything that would enhance their prospects to a beneficial adult life and be equipped for the future, or funding from whatever source but because I believe that who the Belgium delegation has been consulting with, is not representative of the broader community. Thus, the project may not achieve the desired results of providing a facility for all? The current thinking is to 'integrate' communities and having facilities seemingly for one 'segment or 'community grouping' only, flies in the face of this way of thinking. Moreover, I believe that this project is being politically manipulated, so as to eventually give credit to only the local governing coalition and it's Ward Councillor. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> In an addition to the above, I feel very strongly that a training facility such as I am to understand this project is, will be a duplication of other facilities in the area (both under-utilised by local youth for reasons that need not be dealt with in this email), such as Wolwerkloof and Steinthal. And, where I am given to understand it is planned, is not perhaps going to be the most suitable location? It should be more central? </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> More especially, I am concerned that this is not what Tulbagh needs the most desperately.  In my opinion what we need are sustainable job creation facilities, training, funding and mentorship, all encompassed in a SMME development, not only for the 'youth' but for adults too. I also feel that this project has been 'rushed through' without enough community participation and awareness processes having been implemented. Yes sure, Essen Municipality may well be funding a substantial portion of the project cost (I am not aware of same and it appears to be very 'difficult' to get hold of this  information from the Municipality at this time) but at the end of the day, I presume that the running costs will be for the account of the Ratepayer of the Municipality and as such, representatives of the Ratepayers organisations should have been consulted. Moreover, when it comes to 'youth' programs, surely the Church groups, established youth organisations, Schools, welfare organisations etc., should have been consulted?</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Last night I met with a delegation of some community members from our local community and they were quite concerned about the fact that this project is apparently being planned for just a 'segment' of the community and they were seemingly being excluded. I was informed that there is and has been for years, a Youth Forum in Tulbagh accredited with the Municipality and it is not the Youth Forum that the Belgian delegation has been consulting with. In fact, that Youth Forum has not been consulted at all? Apparently, they are to meet over the next few days and will no doubt wonder why they were 'sidelined' and you will no doubt hear from them.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> I urge you to request that you suggest to your Municipality, to put this project on hold and then to reinvestigate the various options and broaden the base of the community that it should consult with, to get a proper idea as to what this community considers to be it's priorities and where money should be spent.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> The matter of the Youth Centre will be tabled at the forthcoming committee meetings of both TRIF and the Tulbagh branch of the Democratic Party of which I am Chairperson. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Kind regards,</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> John Veschini</div> <div> Tulbagh</div> <div>  </div> <div>   </div> <div> ----- Original Message ----- </div> <div> <B>From:</B> John at Rocky Valley </div> <div> <B>To:</B> David Nasson </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 11, 2010 12:54 PM</div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> Re: Trip to Belgium by councillors and possibly staff</div> <bR> <div> Dear David,</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Thanks for your prompt and detailed response. Communication and transparency is good?</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> 1) Could you kindly elaborate on what you mean by "The cost, flight, ticket and accommodation, is covered by the program and agreement between the parties"? What does the agreement say? Is the said agreement available on the Witzenberg website?</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> My concern is simply that I would not be happy as a Ratepayer to fund unnecessary trips overseas for training or otherwise. My feeling would be that there are enough youth training facilities and programs available locally.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Let us start with Wolwerkloof (just off White Bridge) as a training facility. One of my pet gripes is that complex is being used to train all but the youth of Witzenberg. Is my assumption correct or are you in a position to provide fact as to how many of our youth have had access or are having access to that facility? </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> It would therefore be a better effort made and less costly, to communicate with the Winelands District Municipality in order to ensure that a high percentage of skills development training programs are available there for our youth.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> I hear talk about some interest groups wanting to create a youth development centre in Tulbagh. Whilst you will appreciate by now that I am all for anything I can get for Tulbagh, I am not in favour of a waste of Ratepayers money to duplicate anything that is already there (Wolverkloof and other similar such institutions).</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> What I am more in favour of is the creation of sustainable jobs and not just 'opportunities' for our youth which go nowhere. I am in favour of at least two SMME developments coupled with the development of the skills needed, mentorship and financing. In this respect I once again refer you to a proposal I submitted in 2004 to create such SMME developments (one where the old advice centre is situated and one in an area that was once available for such a development but is now covered with illegal shacks). It is bellieved that the project was stifled at the time simply because it was not an ANC initiative. I refer you also to subsequent efforts on my part to resuscitate the idea. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> In my last attempt in May 2009 the matter was discussed with Joanne Krieger, your responsible official for SMME development. This died a sorry death as it did in 2004. I understand that the person responsible for blocking the process was none other than your ANC Ward Councillor. Her comment at a meeting was something like... "That man wants to put our people in Containers". Whether refurbished containers were used to house the small business enterprises or that the structures were to be constructed was never discussed or finalised, simply due to the fact that it was never encouraged to get to that point (final planning and specification).</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Basic site layout proposal and locality map of the two sites proposed</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="e49eb280.jpg" border=0 width="491" height="296" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="e4b536a0.jpg" border=0 width="851" height="618" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> For further information and enlightenment of our Mayor and the current political party in charge, the emails are attached for ease of reference. One of the emails contains the annexure submitted to Council 12 August, 2004. That annexure included the initial layout proposed. This was also forwarded to Joanne Krieger in May last year.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> What is also attached are photos of the advice centre as it is now - a derelict den of iniquity, 100m from our school? More of that to follow..............</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> With regards to the benefits of Twinning arrangements with cities or towns all over the world, I am conscious of the fact that these 'arrangements' can sometimes be beneficial but are mostly just a means for Councillors and officials to have free trips overseas at the expense of the Ratepayer. Much can be done to obtain funding the old fashioned way - post or today email. And, funding is available by various institutions and governments all over the world. It is for your official to source the funding opportunities and then by all means arrange for her to visit if necessary and report back to Council. There is no need for Councillors to perform this function and waste Ratepayers money.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> The need for our Mayor to address "their Council" is seriously questionable? The Essen delegation is fully aware of the "progress made". </div> <div> The Crèche is built and functioning. They have visited and have photographs and one of the delegation was in contact with Councillor Joubert on an ongoing basis for progress reports (contrary to the comments by your Mayor in a circulating mail meant for her staff, this Councillor (Joubert) was very much involved with 'driving' the process or 'development' but obviously receives no acknowledgement from the current ANC aligned Mayor due to her (Joubert's) political affiliation with the DA - not in power). More of that to come...........</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> I will object strenuously to any such visits that involve Councillors or the Mayor. I will also strenuously object to such visits or similar by your official concerned, unless something positive comes from it. Should Essen Municipality cover all costs, I would have even less problem with the official making the visit. They are a wealthy Municipality compared to ours?</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> There is another aspect that should be considered. Councillors and especially the Mayor, should be available to perform their functions and that is to oversee service delivery and they can't be doing that whilst they are gallivanting all over the place feeling important. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> I will be pleased to know what the Budget is for "International Relations'.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> This matter will be tabled at the forthcoming meeting of TRIF for discussion.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> Kind regards,</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> John Veschini</div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="e42e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e44e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e46e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="e48e1a90.jpg" border=0 width="225" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> ----- Original Message ----- </div> <div> <B>From:</B> <U>David Nasson</U><U> </U></div> <div> <B>To:</B> John at Rocky Valley </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 11, 2010 10:13 AM</div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> RE: Trip to Belgium by councillors and possibly staff</div> <bR> <div> Dear ALL </div> <div> Your information is not 100% correct. With the last visit of the Essen delegation in November 2009 it was agreed that:</div> <bR> <div> 1) Two officials of Witzenberg, the youth official and community development officer will go to Essen in April 2010 for a week of Training. The training will focus on all aspects of youth development. The cost, flight ticket and accommodation, is covered by the program and agreement between the parties. </div> <bR> <div> 2) Council will be approached to consider sending a political delegation to promote the twinning agreement in Essen and to lobby further support from the municipality itself. The idea was also, if possible, for the Mayor to address their Council of progress made thus far. This matter must, however still go to Council for approval. The number and names of the political delegation must still be decided on. The program does not cover the cost of any political delegation and any cost incurred in this regard will be for the account of Council. We do have budget for international relations and all expenses will be paid from this vote.</div> <bR> <div> <B>From:</B> John at Rocky Valley [mailto:rockyvalley@telkomsa.net] </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> 10 March 2010 04:13 PM</div> <div> <B>To:</B> David Nasson</div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> Trip to Belgium by councillors and possibly staff</div> <bR> <div> Dear David,</div> <div>  </div> <div> It has come to attention that the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, the Tulbagh Ward Councillor and possibly a staff member or two, are off to Belgium for a trip at the expense of the Ratepayer.</div> <div>  </div> <div> If this is so, could you kindly explain what the purpose of this visit is, what is the expected duration and cost, who authorised it and whether it was budgeted for?</div> <div>  </div> <div> Kind regards,</div> <div>  </div> <div> John Veschini</div> <div> Tulbagh</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>