KAYLYNN PALM
Skills training, ward allocations and a home-composting programme were among the topics on Sub-council 12’s agenda at its monthly meeting at the Lentegeur Administrative Chambers last week.
* Hairdressing skills project
A total of 20 Mitchell’s Plain residents have completed a hairdressing training skills programme and will be doing further assessment to determine their readiness. Part of the programme entailed how to start your own business.
Once the second phase of the programme has been completed they will each receive a start-up kit to the value of R10 000.
This would enable graduates to start their own business and generate much needed income. This project was funded from funds allocated to Ward 78.
* Home-composting project
The City of Cape Town’s solid waste department also did a presentation on a home-composting project which entails providing households with home composting containers.
Noel Johannessen from Solid Waste said a participating household will be provided with information on how to use the containers, and the City appointed contractor will be available for guidance along the way.
Mr Johannessen said the City of Cape Town is working to minimise the amount of waste that enters landfill sites.
Ward 81 councillor Danny Christians questioned if these bins will be provided to schools and community gardens in Mitchell’s Plain.
Mr Johannessen responded, saying that it is only households for now.
Ward 82 councillor Sheval Arendse asked how the bins will be monitored and if it will be tagged as theft of bins are rife in Tafelsig.
“As we know, people are using the black bins as trolleys to transport stolen goods, so why bring more bins, which means more transportation for the thieves?”
Mr Johannessen responded: “It will be a bin that will stay in the garden, with no wheels, there will also be City workers who will be doing check ups,” he said.
* Ward allocations
Eddie Andrews, the chairperson of Sub-council 12 and ward councillor for Ward 78, also drew his colleagues’ attention to the projects within their wards.
“It is essential that the respective councillors monitor progress. If there are any delays then it is imperative to consult with the project manager to resolve the problem.
“It’s important that projects that have been identified for implementation in this financial year be completed in good time,” he emphasised.
* Message of condolence
Mr Andrews also called for a moment of silence in sub-council to pay tribute to those who have died of cancer, making mention of five-year leukaemia sufferer Sufyaan Oostendorp, from Tafelsig, who died on Monday March 14 (Leukaemia patients finds a donor”, Plainsman, May 27 29015, “Baby brings brother hope”, Plainsman, November 4 2015 and “Only time can tell for Tafelsig boy”, Plainsman, January 20 2016).
Mr Andrews said he visited Sufyaan a couple of months ago, accompanied by Saadiqa Abrahams who heads up the local Cancer Association of South Africa Relay for Life team.
“The family’s resolve was quite evident, however, what was more evident was Sufyaan’s resolve. He wanted to go play with the kids in the street but due to his illness he could not. I have received news that Sufyaan’s resolve was not enough to see him through and on Monday March 14 he passed away. I would like to call for a moment of silence for all those who have succumbed to cancer.
“I would also like to convey our sincerest condolences to the family during this time of bereavement and reiterate the importance for donors to register on the SA Bone Marrow Registry as a stem cell donor. By doing so it increases the chances a beneficiary may have of surviving cancer as currently there are not enough registered donors,” Mr Andrews appealed.
