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Few will truly understand and appreciate the mammoth task and interventions it takes (behind the scenes) to get even just one child away from streetlife…so that they’re given the best chance of a better future.
While there are enormous systemic challenges, we are grateful when we can have dialogue to challenge processes, collectively think outside the box and begin co-creating a better future, that our children and communities urgently needs (and deserves).
A key, common thread, are the dangers of enabling children to remain on street and the detrimental knock on effects, not only for the child…but for us as city, even our country.
Children who are constantly supported to stay on streets, instead of school, faces an onslaught of exposure to substance abuse, trafficking, assault, criminal activities etc.
We urge communities to please help these teams tireless efforts and channel support to causes that helps move children off street, reintegrated with their families/into care facilities and engaged in school/sport/activities to keep them out of harms way.
Thank you to every community member, school, government entity/organization who does so much for our children…our PRIMARY investment in a brighter future. — with Fiona Bosch and
As part of the Foundational for Environmental Education (FEE) GAIA 20:30 strategy for the next decade, a series of webinars focused on Biodiversity will be organised by the Blue Flag and Green Key teams in April and May.
Launched by FEE in 2021, the GAIA 20:30 strategy represents the organisation’s commitment to contribute to a more sustainable world. As part of this strategy, FEE will be focusing its resources for the next decade on three critical environmental increasing threats to our planet – climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.
In 2022, the GAIA 20:30 will protect global biodiversity through different actions: promoting sustainable management of the coastal zone, combating pollinator and insect loss, preserving existing and creating new natural areas, and finally raising awareness of efforts to remove invasive alien species.
Several initiatives will be held within the year dedicated to Biodiversity, including a Biodiversity Competition, a course, and four webinars, conducted in April and May. The webinars, developed in partnership between Green Key International and Blue Flag International teams, will focus on different aspects of biodiversity. The first webinar will be held on April 5th and the last one, conducted in May (date to be confirmed), can be particularly relevant for the Blue Flag national operators and members since they will explore the importance of biodiversity for coastal areas.
Focused on the Importance of Biodiversity to the Tourism Industry, the first webinar hosted on April 5th will raise questions as such:
What is biodiversity?
Why is it important for tourism?
What are the negative impacts of tourism on biodiversity?
More information will be shared in the upcoming weeks on the Blue Flag page and social media on how to sign up for the Biodiversity webinars.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/blueflag.global/ or https://www.blueflag.global/new-blog/2022/3/4/biodiversity-webinars-are-open-to-all-blue-flag-members for more information.
Today we had the privilege of living into our Ignisive vision …by going into the heart of a community to begin supporting the dire systemic challenges and rally various stakeholders to join our authentic collaborative journey.
We are exceptionally grateful to all the various Community leaders / stakeholders, especially our teams (present and future) between Camps Bay and Kalksteenfontein, for taking the time out of their busy schedules to join forces for the greater good.
Firstly to Mrs Haman and all the teachers and children from Kalksteenfontein Primary School…thanks for allowing us to share this experience with you.
Huge thanks to Jean-marc Johannes for sharing your inspiring life story about making your dreams a reality…and today being South Africa’s most awarded skateboarder, first international Gold, silver & bronze medalist and 7 times Guinness World record holder.
We are so proud of you and grateful to have your support.
Thank you Captain Arthur Minnaar (Author of ‘When People Serve) South African Police Service for sharing your incredible journey and encouraging our Children’s safety.
Llewelyn (and Judah) Scholtz (Founder/Director of G-Citi Campus), with Anzio Genesis Music, for introducing the significant volume of work you’re doing in communities (especially Elsies River), by providing empowerment of digital skills and the adoption of technology in both personal and professional lives.
We also appreciate and look forward to collaborating with Kim Webster (WebsterBiz Consulting), Rene Hendricks (Rhens Training Institute) and their teams on the Community Safety Champions initiative and extending the reach for greater ways to impact positive change.
We are also incredibly grateful to all our business and community sponsors, as well as various government entities for making today such a positive experience, especially for the school children.
Massive thanks to OfficeBox (Wayne Jacobs) for sponsoring over R25000 worth of stationary for the school and helping us prepare the tools (Your School Box), for the Vision box workshop and diaries (initiated and autographed by Jean-Marc Johannes) for the Grade7’s.
Special thanks to Kevin and Linda, from Germany, who kindly contributed towards these journals and the workshop with the children.
Thank you kindly Mr Kariem Candy Way Trading for the smarties for all the children to symbolize how we all may be different on the outside but inside we are the same.
Thanks to WOOLWORTHS for personally delivering and serving lunch packs for the Kids and to Mountain Falls for the water donation.
Thanks also to Pick n Pay Camps Bay for the muffins and refreshments for the guests/teachers and to Pedro and Fiona Bosch for assisting with the delicious platters and being such key role players in the work we collectively do for our homeless communities on the Atlantic Seaboard.
Tony Lottering from Western Cape GovernmentDepartment Of Cultural Affairs And Sport you and your teams always blows us away with your talent and passion to positively impact the lives of our youth. Thanks Xolile for sharing your juggling skills and to the Lavender Hill Dance Crew…for teaching children what is possible through movement and dance.
Last but not least…to our dream team…A+ (Positive Action) team for putting your ’day jobs’ aside for a moment and helping support a school/community that deserves every ounce of investment in building a brighter future.
The Camps Bay marine outfall plant caused a stench last Friday as an electrical fault rendered its pumps ineffective and resulted in the flooding of the pump station.
The hoses were connected to the marine outfall plant on the left and dragged across the beach into the water.
Camps Bay beach, Glen beach as well as the Camps Bay and Maidens Cove tidal pools had to be closed to the public.
On Saturday, the Atlantic Sun saw a few swimmers and surfers enter the water despite the warning of the lifeguards.
The City’s water and sanitation teams attempted to use vacuum trucks to dispose the waste, but due to the huge volume the sewage had to be discharged from the pump station out to sea as a temporary measure.
Filmmaker Mark Jackson created a short documentary, Bay of Sewage in 2016; which emphasises the Atlantic seaboard’s effluent problem.
“Is there really that much difference between the sewage being on the beach, or being pumped out 24/7 just 700m from Maidens Cove where it can easily wash back to shore? We need an entire rethink of the system, not mere short-term bandage solutions. Here we dump effectively-raw sewage just 700m, at a depth of about 20m. We need a new plan, urgently,” he said.
According the City’s water quality ratings at recreational nodes conducted on January 21, Camps Bay has an excellent rating, with the Enterococci count being 3 per 100ml, while nearby Glen beach is rated poor with a measurement of 100 per 100ml.
“From a health perspective, the beaches are closely monitored and in the event of equipment failures, the City’s incident management protocol is activated to minimise any potential health impact on persons making use of the beaches that may be affected,” said Patricia van der Ross, mayoral committee member for community services and health.
“The protocol includes the temporary installation of warning signage, media releases, additional samples and closure of the affected beaches if necessary,” said Ms Van der Ross.
Visitors were not allowed to walk about this area.
Dr Jo Barnes, senior lecturer emeritus in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, says she is disappointed at how the City managed this dilemma.
“One would think that a city like Cape Town would be much better geared to coping with breakages and spills than this. Dumping sewage spills into the environment in this manner is not acceptable. There have been several reports in the media of the City’s serious under spending of their water and sanitation budget over the last few years. The neglect of the sanitation infrastructure of the City is starting to become visible in many, many places. The effect on the health of the population and the environment will take years to overcome. Disposing of such an amount of sewerage by pumping it into the nearest water course simply tips the consequences onto others who are unable to defend themselves or get accountability from those who made this decision,” said Dr Barnes.
Eddie Andrews, the mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment, says the City is aware of the inconvenience caused to the public.
Mr Andrews added that the City had put in place a number of measures to ensure public health and safety which included:
• Cordoning off the area with danger tape to prevent people from entering the water;
• Requesting City Law Enforcement and Lifesavers to patrol the beach and advise the public not to enter the water;
• Discharge the sewage directly into the sea to reduce, as far as possible, any beach contamination and to allow wave action/current to rapidly assimilate contaminated water;
• Issuing a media release advising the public of the closure of Camps Bay beach and surrounds. The message was also posted on the City’s social media platforms;
• Use of a drone to track the sewage plume and the use of this to information for management decisions;
• The collection of water samples to track water quality improvement and to determine when beaches may be open for swimming again; and
• Actively monitoring the beach on site to determine whether any other interventions were required.
Sewage water gushing out of a hose.
Camps Bay and Clifton Ratepayers’ Association (CBCRA) chairperson Chris Willemse says it’s a disgrace that marine outfall plants (MOP) are still in use.
“The absolute irony of the situation is that the City have reacted to the emergency with great speed and resources but fail to comprehend that when this marine outfall plant is repaired, it is simply pumping the same (millions) of litres of raw sewerage, every day, a few hundred meters further into the bay. This intolerable situation has been covered up by officials and politicians alike over the years,” Mr Willemse said.
“Modern plants are not visible above ground nor are they sources of smell and, once in place, say under the sports field in that area, the surface can return to a reasonable normal. Now is the time for the City to enter into meaningful discussions with the community, as it is essential that the City and its citizens should be ensuring that our coastal waters are not polluted,” he said.
Dr Zahid Badroodien, city’s mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, says the long-term solution is to perform a full technical assessment and develop an informed plan to upgrade the outfall plants.
“The overall operating budget for all the outfalls is R38.8million and the overall repairs and maintenance budget is R4.5 million. Failures and breakdowns are unavoidable due to various reasons. These include electrical installations, the pump station’s location close to the sea and power cuts (load-shedding). Pump stations are not meant to operate with frequent stop and start actions due to their sensitive electrical and control components.” Dr Badroodien said.
This hose had holes in it and the sewage water sprayed onto the beach sand. Article by Shahied Josephhttps://www.atlanticsun.co.za/news/camps-bay-marine-outfall-causes-a-stink-122801b6-0096-4ffd-ad7b-31582c43157d
