The Rep 31 March 2017.compressed

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12 Tel: (045) 839-4040 Emergency: (A/H) 083-272-0955 ° Editorial: sonjar@timesmedia.co.za - advertising: charodinev@timesmedia.co.za THE REPRESENTATIVE 31 March 2017 Fundraising drive for rehab project NPO on board to assist with Komani venture ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA RESTORE SONKE managing director Charlene Williams is on a mission to make her dream of opening a drug rehabilitation centre in Komani a realit y. Williams has partnered with Across Culture Foundation (ACF), a registered South African-based non-profit organisation that tackles issues in society by assisting with fundraising. ACF operating officer Minnie Murphy, with her husband Laurence, from Cape Town, will be hosting a party to raise funds for the rehab at the Wesley Methodist hall in Ebden Street, on April 15. Williams said, “This is for people to know the Restore Sonke centre is real and that we need sponsorship STANDING TOGETHER: Johan and Marlene Stals and their children Mikaylah, left, and Hayleigh for this R6-million dream. People can come and join us.” Williams said the centre currently only offered counselling to youth who suffered from drug addiction from her home office in Victoria Pa r k . “I have a long list of clients who can not benefit from counselling alone, but who need to participate in a detox programme followed by a rehabilitation programme, which I can not do. I have one client who used to spend R800 on drugs per day. Some women sell themselves to their dealers who dictate who they should sleep with in order to get drugs.” Williams is so determined to achieve her goal that she has already secured a place at Palloti Farm, a Catholic property located Family’s desperate bid to help daughter SONJA RAASCH A FORMER Komani woman is involved in a massive battle to raise both awareness of Fanconi Anaemia (FA) and funds to help her eight-year-old daughter, Hayleigh, who is battling the genetic condition. Although Marlene Stals now lives in East London, she still returns to Komani to participate in the Twizza Bonkolo marathon and Longhill Challenge. She was born here and attended Balmoral Girls’ Primary School, Girls’ High School and Ikhala College (then the Queenstown Technical College). Her parents still live here and Marlene said she, husband Johan and their two daughters – Hayleigh and Mikaylah – return regularly for runs or cycling events in the area. “The best part about Queenstown is going through for a weekend, popping in to a shop or going to a sporting event and people still chat to you as if you’ve never left, there’s always someone to give you a ‘hello’ hug. It will always be home.” near Royden. “The farm was previously used for retreats and church events. We are going to pay rent. They have a place for 500 people in different buildings with beds and linen.” She had reached an agreement with the owners that the farm workers from the area would receive employment when the project started operating. Williams said they would run a garden which would be serviced by patients unable to afford rehab. “They will earn an income which they will learn to use without spending it on drugs.” Patients will be given woodwork skills to make furniture from pallets which they can use to earn a living after completion of the time in rehab. The Stals’ peaceful family life was disrupted when, two weeks before her eighth birthday earlier this year, Hayley was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Fanconi Anemia. The condition leads to bone marrow failure, leukemia and other forms of c a n c e r. “It is a recessive disorder. If both parents carry a defect [mutation] in the same FA gene, each of their children has a 25% chance of inheriting the defective gene from both parents. When this happens, the child will have FA.” Although it is considered to be primarily a blood disease, FA can affect all systems of the body with many patients eventually developing acute myeloid leukemia at an early age. Patients are also likely to develop head and neck, gynaecological, and/or gastrointestinal cancers, again at a much earlier age than the general p o p u l at i o n . Patients who have had a successful bone marrow transplant and are cured of the blood problem associated with FOR THE GREATER GOOD: Laurence Murphy with his wife, Across Culture Foundation operating officer Minnie, from Cape Town, are due to host their 70th birthday celebration to raise funds for Restore Sonke rehabilitation centre in Komani Picture: ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA FA, must stil have regular examinations to watch for signs of c a n c e r. “As it stands now, Hayleigh will need a bone marrow transplant to cure the bone marrow failure associated with FA.” The Stals family found out that their daughter was suffering from FA when her blood would not clot during an operation earlier this year. She is currently in Grade 2 at Stirling Primary School but is being schooled at home until her transplant has been completed. “We realise we can’t tackle this huge journey of recovery for her without the support of our family, friends and community. Our aim is to raise funds to cover the medical costs associated with this disease that are not covered by medical aid, together with treatments and trips to Cape Town to start and complete the bone marrow transplant process. “ Hayleigh will be away from home for four months during the transplant and will be accompanied by a parent. Her younger sister has proven to be a good match, but the transplant team has since extended the search to the Bone Marrow Registry (www.sunflower fund.org.za). Two potential donors have been found. Stals said she had been inundated with people asking if they could be tested to see if they were a match for H ay l e i g h . “We ’ve said if they’re so passionate about it, they should register with the fund anyway, they may be able to save someone else’s life. The statistics on people waiting for bone marrow matches in South Africa are scary.” The family are trying to create awareness and raise funds for the Fanconi Anemia Research Foundation to assist with research and would like to have more people register as bone marrow donors. They are also waiting for medical aid approval for Hayleigh’s transplant and related donor costs. “We are asking individuals and businesses who would like to make a donation or assist with fundraising, to please contact us via e-mail on marlene.stals@gmail.com or j jstals@yahoo.com.” SEND in a completed crossword #1049 for a chance to win one of five ‘two coffees with muffins’ from Sasol at 2 Cathcart Road. Drop off the crossword solution before 10am on Tuesday, April 4, at The Rep offices, 24 Prince Alfred Street in Komani, or scan a copy and send it to sonjar@timesmedia.co.za. Please include your contact number and full names on the copy. Terms and conditions apply. Please produce your ID when you collect your prize from The Rep offices. There were no winners this week. Name: ..................................... Phone: .................................
THE REPRESENTATIVE 31 March 2017 Tel: (045) 839-4040 Emergency: (A/H) 083-272-0955 ° Editorial: sonjar@timesmedia.co.za - advertising: charodinev@timesmedia.co.za 13 Council opposition parties protest DA and EFF raise issues of concern ZOLILE MENZELWA THE Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality council meeting got off to a rocky start on Tuesday and at times degenerated into chaos as opposition political parties raised issues of concern. Firing the first salvo was DA councillor Zuko Mandile who said the meeting was illegal as the notice was not made within the required seven days before the sit ting. He said the agenda was signed off six days before the meeting and only received three days before the meeting. Cathcart residents threaten to raise the dust over services ZOLILE MENZELWA IF EASTERN Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle fails to address the people of Cathcart around service delivery issues today, the organisers of the current protests in the small town have indicated that the unrest will be escalated. South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) chairman Vakalisa Cesamba said the residents wrote to the Amahlati Municipality on March 1 requesting a meeting to address a number of service delivery issues. Cesamba said the municipality was given seven days to respond with a peaceful sit-in organised at the municipality on March 16. Council speaker Mzoxolo Peter said officials and politicians had gone to Mpekweni Beach Resort for a strategic planning session and there was not enough administrative support at the municipality. He apologised. Mandile said the issue of the late notice and late arrival of the agenda had been discussed on numerous occasions and yet it continued to happen. Soon after that the DA councillors walked out, with Peter asking them to sit down as the matter was still being discussed. United Front councillor Aaron Mhlontlo said the “The mayor [Pateka Qaba] refused to listen to us even when the police asked her to address us. We said there would be no work at the municipality if she does not address us. Municipal offices have all moved to Stutterheim and we have dysfuntional satellite offices here. There is not a single government office in Cathcart – people have to travel to Stut terheim.” He said the small town and its townships were left in the dark and people were mugged every weekend. He said informal settlements in the area had no electricity. Crime levels were high. Cesamba said a meeting was called between some municipal rules were clear and there was no provision for an apology in the rules of order. Mthuthuzeli Hokolo of the UDM said it was wrong to “run a meeting with apologies”. Acting municipal manager Siyabonga Nkonki said it was a pity he was talking while some councillors had walked out. He said a notice of the meeting was advertised in the Daily Dispatch on March 17, a period longer that the required seven days. This continued for about 30 minutes before the meeting could continue. The DA’s walk-out was not the last disruption as councillors and the residents on March 20 but did not last for more than 10 minutes as the councillors had to go to Stutterheim to deal with an employee strike. Cesamba said the residents would meet in front of the town hall on Friday and wait for Masualle: “If the premier does not come on Friday we will have action that will attract the attention of national government. All we want is ser vices,” Cesamba said. Amahlathi communications manager Anathi Nyoka and Masualle’s spokesman Sonwabo Mbananga failed to respond to queries sent on Tuesday. executive mayor Lindiwe Gunuza Nkwentsha was called a thief by EFF's Thobeka Blekiwe as she stood to speak on the IDP p r e s e n t at i o n . Peter said he would neither ask Blekiwe to apologise or retract her st at e m e n t . Corporate services political head Noluthando Nqabisa came to the defence of Gunuza Nkwentsha, saying the “It is painful to call someone a thief and we are here to build the m u n i c i p a l i ty ” executive mayor had not been proven guilty in a court of law for the alleged cow theft which has been claimed by the EFF. Chief Obrien Hebe said there were newspapers (sic) in the meeting and newspapers were quick to write on things councillors did not agree on. “It is painful to call someone a thief and we are here to build this municipality. As traditional leaders we don't agree with councillor [Blekiwe],” Hebe said. Peter closed the matter for discussion. HERE’S HOW: Hendrik van Pletzen of Voermol speaks during the predation management workshop Picture: KATE WEBSTER Role players update farmers on predation management VARIOUS speakers took to the microphone as part of a predation management information day hosted for farmers from the area recently. The day was hosted by the National Wool Growers’ Association (NWGA) and the Queenstown District Agricultural Association. Speakers included Voermol technical manager Hendrik van Pletzen, who spoke on feeding strategies, NWGA predation specialist Niel Viljoen, who dealt with predation control with fencing, and general manger of Wool & Mohair BKB Isak Staats, whose topic highlighted sheep numbers. A practical viewing of jackal-proof fencing was done during the day which was sponsored by NWGA, BKB, Voermol and Zoetis. – Rep reporter
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