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Feedback from community members: |
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Read the reply from Mayor Dan Plato on 30 July 2010 |
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Dear Adele, Many thanks for the email. It certainly sounds like an exciting initiative but unfortunately this decision would have nothing to do with us, as Jet Demolition does not own the towers. I suggest that you contact the City of Cape Town and put it to them. Good luck!Regards.Julie on behalf of Joe Brinkmann [Jet Demolition]
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Dear Adele. Jet Demolition and Ross Demolition have no say whatsoever in this matter as all PR on this project is handled by the City Council through Kylie Hatton, and the City of Cape Town is our employer who will make all such decisions. I suggest you pursue this matter with the Senior Personnel of the City of Cape Town. Best regards. Joe Brinkmann. J R Brinkmann Pr Eng Managing DirectorJet Demolition (Pty) Ltd
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Hi Adele. I am not based in CT - in fact I am way up here in Durban KZN. After reading that mail, I am so very proud to a) be a woman, b) a South African and c) the recipient of such an awesome e-mail. What you and your Team are doing is truly phenomenal and I applaud you and every other person who has pulled together to make your dreams for a better SA a reality. So often we say “ag I am only one person, what I say or do won’t make any difference”. You are proving that WRONG!!! I hope, with every fibre of my being that Helen Zille steps up to the plate and commits to working with you, not only with the Tower Project, but with any endeavour you may have where her support can help. I am not big on politics, but I do know that Helen Zille is held in high regard and she has done WONDERS for the Cape. I am more than positive, that after receiving your mail, and ‘reading’ your passion, she will come to see your way of thinking. All the best best!!! Rowena Marshall
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"You rock!"Tanya Steininger
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 Dear Adele. Thanks for the information. It is a good initiative. I am working for the Department : Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities. I think we need to talk and synergize our efforts towards the total protection of children’s human rights.Please lets keep in touch. Mr. David Mzamane Chabalala. Director: Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities
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Thanks so much! GOOD LUCK! I will forward it around. Please keep me up to date? Karien Murray
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Yho! If she does not respond, positively, then it means, her job is about gaining votes not about her work. Go girl and the team of P2B. Fezeka Sikele
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hi. i was pleased 2 meet you on the 16th of June. after world cup i realised that we should work together and feel free to involve me in any meeting or project that you may want us to work with us. currently we have another project for youths and i have attached its objectives. thanks for your precious time. Regards. Kenny Tokwe. CDW Hout Bay |
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Amazing-Adele...Representing Proud2B...On Behalf of All Families...Sooo Proud of You!! Stay Blessed!! Nelia van Deventer
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You have my support. I am all for a positive change and the necessary steps to be taken to make those changes for the better of all!!! Pania Scrivener
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Dear Adele. Thanks for the information hope the city will come to the party. MMzukisi Gaba, Social Development Western Cape
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You go girl! Please let us know if you get the go-ahead and GreaterGood can promote and provide support in our social media.Kindest regards,Roxy Mitchell, GREATERCAPITAL.
part of the GreaterGood group
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Hi Adele. I have forwarded your request to three people including the premier for consideration. Anton.
Anton Groenewald
Acting Deputy Director-General, Department of the Premier
Provincial Government of the Western Cape
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Hardhitting and passionate!!! Well done, let me know what comes from it. Joanne Peers. ECD Network coordinator Claremont |
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You go girl! Kim & Craig Little
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Brilliant idea for Heritage day. Leslie Ashburner @ Wetpups School
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Hi Adele. I hope you are well. You are just so great. Thanks for this letter to Helen Zille. Yes, unfortunately things are not looking good. People just don’t want to change. I wish you a great day.Love Andi
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Hello. Keep up the good work. I have been trying to get my friends involved in writing to the Broadcasting co-orporation re - the programs screened on TV. I personally feel that some of the programs desensitize our kids, so when they are exposed to it it real life they participate because they saw it no TV so it must be acceptable. We as parents need to reclaim our rights of being parents. It seems like we are being stripped of these. You are right organizations need to work together to institute change. Rookaya |
Hey there Adele. As a working Mum of 4 young South African Citizens the energy starts at home, you are so right! Empower parents to make the right decisions at home and bring back respect to the family unity. If the only value children learn is respect, a child will always think about his or her actions and reactions. If we respect as a society we can only think before we do. We feel your energy here and want to help Cape Town become a beautiful place for her children, that they deserve. You Rock!NICOLA LUGARDBUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR
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Hi Adele. I think a web forum like the one started to save the Sea Point Promenade would be great - no idea how to get it done though. Thanks for all your "stuff".Dot
Dot Pierce-Jones | Administrator |
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"you go girl!"Andalene Salvesen [author of Raising Healthy, Happy children]
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Hello Adele, "The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching." - Anonymous
This is all about character. A champion works not to be applauded by people, but because his/her vision is on the goal. Affirmations: I work hard. What others think is not so important. I am motivated from within. Be all you can be Adele. Shalom With Fond Regards Arnfried Klein-Werner
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Adele, you are AWESOME!I stand behind you and hope that Helen Zille comes to her senses and sees the greater picture here. She is a sensible lady, and so far has not let me down. I am sure that she will stand behind her community and do the right thing. Do I need to sign a petition or something??? Unfortunately I'm probably off to Perth next week for a few weeks, so can't be hands on involved.Love and hugs (and lots of support) Angie Welch
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Hi Adele. I liked your message, well done! I have done extensive research in this area and it is clear that values need to be instilled in children with a sound methodology. Everything else is wishful thinking and groundless hope.Regards
Dave @ Cool Values |
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You go Adele. Must connect when you started. Do not give up. I think it is fantastic. Meryl Hewitt-Fourie
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Hi Guys. Plan B if Helen doesn’t come to the table… She becomes a character in the doccie to explain her reasons and we still have the implosion and show the images of what our intentions were, the we tak them on a journey. Got some good characters in mind. When I got home from Obs I went to refill the gas at this very, very successful local hardware store and I remembered that the owner once mentioned that he was born in Bokmakierie and we started and Voila! Here was a character.Then my take on the story.Dodgen family and that’s just the starters.Regards and keep the faith. John W Fredericks, Documentary Director
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Hi. Absolutely fabulous letter!!!Zerina Royeppen: Director of Fieldwork and Distance Education : South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP)
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Dear Adele. Thank you for a job well done and yes we can utilize the twin towers in another way instead of demolishing it.Many Thanks & Kind Regards Sandy JacobsAssistant Manager
CSS Cape Town
For EVERGREEN AGENCY (SOUTH AFRICA) PTY LTD
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The ANC Youth League are a strong group that are planting some scary seeds among our youth. This project could become the DA Youth League Incentive to really make a difference to the young people of our country. Helen, I love your sense of unity and comradie in the way you are rallying the good people of South Africa to build a new nation based on unity and strength. I strongly recommend that the Cape Town City Council gets fully behind this project so that not only my children but all children begin to live a healthy, wealthy and happy life in this country. I am fully behind this project and wish the organizers strength and success in achieving their goals. Rita Edwards Spectrum Whole Person Training
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Hi there. I am a Principal of a Montessori School, Newberry House, in Somerset West. We also have Eco-School status and one of our themes for eco-education is Community and Heritage. I think your idea is fabulous and support it all the way. I will look on the website for more information. Sincerely. Helen Marshall
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Hi Adele,I definitely think that your initiative is very interesting and wish you lots of luck with it. Just a quick note: environmentalists regard the Athlone towers as symbols for fossil-based energy, i.e. depletion of natural resources plus ‘dirty’ electricity. I’m worried that they may oppose your initiative, or at least be unhappy with your proposal, in the sense that it does not include an environmental message. I know that the keywords that you have chosen are of more immediate relevance to the Athlone / Cape Flats community, but maybe including the ecological aspect too would be a way to ensure their support as well. I know you want to avoid everybody coming in with their own campaigns...Good luck anyway, Magali
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brilliant idea...I was visiting from Durban last week and saw these towers...i hope it works out!:) God bless,Claire @ Family Care
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"Love your work Adele! X" Elle du Plessis
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Great letter, only managed to get to read this now but WOW she can’t turn a blind eye to this! You’re a super example to us all! LOL Liesl van der Westhuizen @ Dogstar Design |
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Brilliant idea – start a petition – this should be a South African event televised for all on Heritage Day – Women And Men Against Child Abuse. Germaine Horowitz
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Brilliant idea. I hope it materializes. It will be a brilliant image to film. I would like to be there with my camera if I can. Helena Kingwill |
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Very good idea!! I am excited! I am a working mum but perhaps somehow I could assist!Regards JO-ANN G MEYER
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Adele, I can't remember if I replied to this, but I do think it is the most amazing idea. I am so sick of people NOT breaking the law because they might get caught and not because it is just plain wrong! I do think each one of us has to do our bit every day to brighten up someone else's day, not to litter, not to break the law, etc. However, we also need to stand together and unite as one against the impoverishment, gangsterism, foolhardy driving that takes so many lives each day and to protect our precious children as though they were in fact our own .... and I could go on. Do you remember the days when we blamed the taxis alone for bad behaviour on the road? I have just witnessed a mother picking up her children in a big 4x4 ... not one of whom was strapped in and then take off at speed straight through a red light. We need to look to ourselves first and then unite for the good of all and create the future we want our children to inherit. Well done, guys. I am 100% behind you. Regards, Jill, St Lukes
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Your idea is great , but a movie clip must be made for ongoing re runs on TV. Best wishes. Tiba Pretorius
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Well, this is unfortunately the response I got from the Premiers office on Wednesday, 4 Aug 2010: Dear Ms Grosse. I hereby acknowledge receipt of your email correspondence addressed to Premier Helen Zille, the content of which has been noted. Please be advised that your correspondence has been referred to the office of the Executive Mayor: Alderman Dan Plato, for further attention as it relates to matters which are legislated as Local Government competencies. Please contact the said office on (021)4001300 or on mayor@capetown.gov.zato facilitate further communication in this regard. Kind regards, Myrtle Jonathan, Administrative Secretary
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[ An open letter Premier Helen Zille ]
Date: 28 July 2010
Dear Premier Helen Zille
Phew, I am stumped and I am asking you as the mother of this city to intervene!
After communication & negotiating with many role-players for some time regarding the proposed “Let’s demolish bad habits in our communities” campaign [see image], I heard yesterday that City of Cape Town is not considering utilizing this opportunity to partner with this campaign for the people and communities in their City. I represent the Proud2stand2gether Forum [for Community Development Organizations and communities] and yes, I cannot believe that the City of Cape Town is not open to partner with a much needed message which is in all honesty a once in a life-time opportunity. This is one way to g et our people to take ownership of starting to demolish the bad habits in their own homes. And this is Cape Town where our youth, according to the latest statistics, is THREE times more violent than youth in other regions.
We have learned from the World Cup Soccer that our Nation “needs a vibe to unite”. It is no secret that our families and communities are being demolished by gangsterism, substance abuse, violent crime, sexual abuse, racism, domestic violence etc. Although this is happening in Cape Town we encourage that this message is adopted by our Nation due to the impact, publicity and exposure this SUSTAINABLE project can generate.
I have been working full steam to get a partnership going between Community Development organizations, Communities, Government Departments [Social Development + Community Safety + Education], media and City of Cape Town. I mean really, what better example to give our people and our communities if WE [as above mentioned] can sit around ONE table and partner in a sustainable project to help our Nation create a positive HERITAGE for our children and our children’s children. Ask our people in the communities what HERITAGE mean to them and you will be shocked. Our communities are so broken & we need to build with them the HOPE & ACTION that instead of these dangers demolishing our homes, we are uniting to in turn demolishing these life threatening dangers.
The Athlone Towers IS a great opportunity “to get a vibe to unite” and we as Proud2stand2gether Forum are urging the City of Cape Town to use this demolition as a COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT opportunity and not just as a big “hoo-haa”-publicity-for-the-City event. We have managed to find two crane companies who confirmed that their equipment can do the job required without climbing or swinging on the towers. We have also got a Construction and Project Management company ready to do the paintwork of the words on the towers. They are all 100% sure that it is all very do-able. No one needs to climb on the towers as we acknowledge the danger of it at this point. All is in place, we just need the go-ahead & partnership from the City of Cape Town.
Demolition of the Athlone Towers, once described as the surveyor’s beacons marking the dividing lines of apartheid in Cape Town, is scheduled for 22 August 2010. Now with reference to the date of demolition: 22 August 2010. Just a thought - and it actually came as a suggestion from the people and the communities I met with around the Athlone towers. Heritage day is coming up on 24 September 2010. We all know that we as a Nation are struggling to identify with a positive heritage which should be a heritage of moral uprightness. [a]The towers have always been a symbol of apartheid and [b] Kewtown is one of the major areas where gangsterism started. Racism, xenophobia and gansterism are demolishing our Nation and this is a perfect opportunity to turn the cards around to say that we as a Nation declare to demolish those bad habits. As a Nation we therefore declare to create, live and leave a legacy of UNITY! So the suggestion from the community is to look at the possibility of moving this event to HERITAGE DAY. They felt that the message is so strong and impactful and that more tangible to pass from one generation to another. For once HERITAGE DAY will have meaning to them, which at the moment is just another public holiday.
Background on how this project came about: As I drove past the towers about 7 weeks ago I envisaged the huge impact of the demolition. Being a community developer I immediately saw the symbolism for our communities and our Nation of this specific demolition. It made me think of the fall of the Berlin wall.
As I arrived back at my office on that day I quickly put together this image and realized the powerful message in it. As founder of Proud2b.org Community Development and Proud2stand2gether Forum [for Community Development organizations and individuals] I have since been communicating, with success, this concept and message to
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many community development organizations
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Department of Social Development [Minister Ivan Meyer instructed a special committee to meet with me & this committee IS committed]
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Department of Community Safety [Minister Lennit Max instructed Dr Lawrence – Head of Department – to meet with me. They ARE committed]
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Department of Education [I have met with Minister Donald Grant & Linda Rose, Head of 8 Districts. ]
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Premiers office [I received a message to say that the Premiers office past it on to Mayor Dan Plato. ]
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City of Cape Town [I got a message from the Mayors office to say that they will get back to me on this – it never happened]
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Pri-Media [who wants to do a Outside Broadcast and countdown with the community and Proud2b.org]
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Independent Newspaper Group: I have also corresponded to them to synergize with this campaign
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And more…
Everyone agree that it is a great opportunity to symbolize the demolition of bad habits such as gansterism, substance abuse, violent crime, xenophobia, racism and more, that is in effect demolishing our homes and communities right now. With courage and determination Proud2b managed to get all needed role-players on-board to execute this exciting initiative. The only missing link at this stage is the go-ahead from City of Cape Town, the owners of the towers. We are just not able to get them to commit as it seems like no one knows who should or could give the go-ahead. Once we have the go- ahead I know we can get the sponsors on board to donate what is necessary.
 Department of Social Development, Department of Community Safety and Department of Education are very excited and would love to join around the table to talk about the sustainable project [see example poster image] that will follow the DAY WE DECLARE TO DEMOLISH THE BAD HABITS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. And we want to City of Cape Town to join this partnership. The demolition of bad habits campaign is just the launching pad for a long-term project which we are looking at rolling out within the communities. [I can give you more info on request]
Proud2stand2gether Forum in partnership with Century Film School is also launching, together with the tower project, a series of Documentaries where we will be empowering and skill develop youth in these communities to film and produce the progress, impact and sustainability, the stories as documentaries in their own words and language.
Let’s not allow our Nation to let go of this amazing POSITIVE spirit we are experiencing at the moment after the very successful World Cup Soccer. WE ARE ENCOURAGING OUR NATION TO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE BALL by standing 2gether in positive transformation. Not ONE person or ONE organization is going to change our country to become a non-violent, safer & more integrated home for our children & our children’s children. We need to stand together in positive transformation. There is never a better time than NOW!
Come on Cape Town leadership, let’s make the circle bigger!
I truly hope to hear from you soon.
Yours in PROUD2B
Adéle Grosse <*)))><
Founder & Executive Director
Proud2b.org Community Development
where every day is a Mandela Day!
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click here if you would like to mail us YOUR COMMEND on this issue
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I like your thinking on branding the Athlone Towers, what brilliant symbolism this could have provided when branded with the negative forces we live with, only to be blown apart and imploded to the rousing applause of thousands of Capetonians. I however don’t think the symbolism is lost provided we all tell someone that this is the constructive thinking we should associate with the bringing down of the towers and ask them to pass on the message. And then perhaps a petition from RGJS could persuade the Cape Times and Argus to super impose this branding on their front page pic that they will no doubt run on Monday, covering the event. Please let me know if you would like assistance in carrying this proposal to the 2 local newspapers. As a sample of 1 even if the papers don’t carry this message I am inspired to pass along this message to anyone who will listen. Best regards, Sebastian Zoutendyk , Daisy’s Dad |
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