MAy 21st 2025

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vicky Bezuidenhout

Rondomskrik is a suburb in Railton which currently houses around 400 homes and struggles with the lack of any pre school or crèche facilities and children and parents must use taxis to get to such facilities on the other side of town. These existing schools are already under pressure with waiting lists.

In October 2022 Swellendam Rotary Club was approached by the Executive Mayor of Swellendam with a proposal that the Rotary Club should facilitate and enable a crèche and pre school to be built in the Rondomskrik area of Railton. The provision of pre school facilities in Rondomskrik is in the Swellendam Muncipal Integrated Development Plan, which enables the Municipality to assist in the provision of land and services. Note: The Municipality is not allowed, by law, to provide schools, hence their request for help.

This is what the Rotary Club had to say:

THE ROTARY CLUB OF SWELLENDAM TOOK UP THE CHALLENGE  

Most of the inhabitants in Rondomskrik live on All Pay assistance and the families there do not have spare money to transport their children to pre school facilities in the other side of town. This lack of mental stimulation opportunities for pre school age children results in a high failure rate at primary and secondary level, and a truancy problem. Less than half the children from this area achieve matriculation at Grade 12. The Early Childhood Centre will help to reduce these short comings and offer these children a better chance of successfully completing their schooling

The families living in this area are fully supportive of this initiative to provide an ECD facility, as can be seen from the results of a community survey done by the Rotary Cub and Swellendam Municipality.

THE SCHOOL

The school will provide for up to 150 places for pre school children up to Grade R and Primary School level . It will follow the prescribed Department of Education curriculum and Department of Social Development guidelines. It will also provide permanent full time jobs for 8 teachers and 4 teaching assistants/learners as well as training opportunities for all of them to improve their qualifications. There will also be 4 jobs provided for an Admin assistant, cook, cleaner and gardener/handy man. These jobs are desperately needed in this community. The building could also be used for adult literacy and numeracy training. The Department of Health has also expressed an interest in using the school building for health outreach projects.

All the teachers and assistant will receive extra training and be encouraged to uplift their skills and qualifications.

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED ?

Since the start of the project in January 2023, Rotary Club Swellendam, has achieved the following :

Successfully bid for, and purchased, ERF 7106 in the centre of Rondomskrik. This has been registered by the Conveyancing attorneys.

Established a charitable Trust with the Master of the High Court, Swellendam Rotary School Trust (registration number IT 000952/2023 9 CO), which will own the land and buildings, and administer it on behalf of the children of Rondomskrik, maintain the site, establish and appoint a Board of Governors for the school and oversee the financial management of the school.

Applied for and received Planning Permission to build the school, cleared the site, erected a security fence and completed an engineering survey.

Completed Phase 1 of the build, which is the main building, outside walls, roof, windows and doors, through a corporate grant of R 1.9 million.

A further corporate grant of R3.0 million enabled us to proceed with Phase 2, which covers a toilet block, kitchen, internal ceilings and walls, electrical installation and outer paving. This is due for completion end of April 2025.

The kitchen will be fully equipped with a full time chef that can provide 2 nutritious meals per day to each pupil.

The Swellendam Rotary School Trust will register the school with the Department of Education which will provide a per capita payment to help fund the school. Currently this is R22 per child per day. This will only cover a small portion of the monthly overhead costs

The school hours will be 07.00 to 17.00 each day Monday to Friday.

A school veggie garden will be established to help feed the children and some of the very needy in the community, on a soup kitchen basis. 

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Pick n Pay Swellendam, working together with Johan van den Berg are as usual sending any excess stock over to the soup kitchens in Railton almost daily. In their words:  “A Full Plate, A Brighter Tomorrow 💙At Pick n Pay Swellendam, we believe in the power of community. That’s why we’ve teamed up with Project Hope to help bring comfort and care to those who need it most. Our recent food donation is part of a greater journey — one of spreading kindness and uplifting lives. A heartfelt thank you to Project Hope and VM & K for walking this path with us. Together, we’re not just giving — we’re growing hope.”

REQUESTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Here are a few of the messages from community members which have come in. Most of them are answered by the municipality, but a lot are also private requests:

Q: “Vicky goeie dag. Wat doen ek oor die feit dat rekeninge nog op oorledende se naam vertoon.”

A: (Swellendam munisipaliteit) “As jy in n oorledene se huis bly en die rekening is nog nie op jou naam nie, kom besoek asb die roadshow. Ook as jy sukkel om jou munisipale rekening te betaal. Die tye is as volgs: 19 May Railton Community Hall, 20 May Buffeljagsrivier Municipal offices, 22 May Fort Haven Community Hall, 28 May Suurbraak Community Hall. As jy nie kan bywoon, bel die Kredietbeheerdepartement op 028 514 8500.”

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Q: “Die veldtjie by September straat speel kinders Elke DAG,dit is die belangrikste Nou,die sypaadjies ens Kan wag tot later kinders speel in die Lang gras en dit was lanklaas gesny.”

A: “Goeiedag almal op die groep. Ek is baie bly om te sien ons sypaadjies en oop velde, asook die parkie in Reisiebaan/September  strate word gesny🙏🏻💖 ‘n teken dat die gemeenskap se insette WEL raakgesien en gehoor word deur Swellendam Munisipaliteit. #shoutouttoallwhocares.”

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Q: Daar is al baie boodskappe op die whatsapp groepe geplaas van mense wat kla oor die hospitaal asook kliniek dienste:
“ – My vrou sit daar by die hospital in pyn Sy Se hle worry niks van haar Nie Sy Wil loop wat Moet Ek Nou maak??
– Aitog dis bad viri pasient wat Nie aandag kry daar Nie.
– Net ń vraag hoekom kan die die kliniek nie 7dae n week oop is vir die Gemeenskap nie dan haal hulle mos die druk van almal af as dit in die ander provinsie werk hoekom kan dit nie hier in die Weskaap ook nie werk nie net ñ vraag.
– Is daar al na Provinsies so iets op die tafel gesit dit is nie dat die dienste swak is nie die staff is te min is ook nog International Nurse day
– Die kliniek se dienste is net 🤮. Daar word gese ou siek mensies kry voorkeer maar dis net boggol wat hulle praat .
– As ons dit nie aanteken in die boek en in boks sit nie gaan die bestuur nie weet en aandag gee daaraan nie ”
A: Ons versamel al die klagtes en sal die hospitaal gaan sien om alles te bespreek. As julle klagtes het, stuur asb na my Vicky op 071 190 1627.
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Q: “Hoop nie ek is lastig nie maar wil ook net luister hoe ek kan maak met i sop kombuis in rondomskrik want hier is gladnie i sop kombuis hier nie asseblief sal graag een wil begin van my huis af asseblief.”
A: (Swellendam Municipality) “These matter all revolve around scale. Soup kitchen’s are usually vested at church halls and / or community halls, which already accommodate such uses.  A soup kitchen at another facility or location may require land use approval.  Also, the provision of food to persons on a regular basis would require oversight by ODM (Overberg District Municipality) ito. the health regulations.  Until there is a written proposal and an idea of location etc, it is very hard to comment.”

May 13 2025

Winter is fast approaching and with it come the storms and wind and rain. Although the rain is good for the farmers in our area, it also means that grass is growing much quicker and a lot more requests from the community is coming in for the cutting of grass of municipal areas. The municipality is frantically cutting as much as they can, but we ask that that community be patient as there is a lot of work to be done and limited resources.

SOUP KITCHENS

There are currently 7 soup kitchens in Railton helping to feed around 60 – 80 people EACH … most of which are children ranging for the ages of 2 yrs old to 18 yrs old. Richard from Pick n Pay Swellendam, together with Johan van den Berg from VM & K arrange deliveries of Pick n Pay stock on a weekly basis to these soup kitchens, however they do not cover clothing and blankets, so we would like to make a plea to the community, if you have any spare, please drop off at the Swellendam Municipal offices, at the old library.

REQUESTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Here are a few of the messages from community members which have come in. Most of them are answered by the municipality, but a lot are also private requests:

Q: “Hi Vicky.  About 12-18 months ago, Berg street was resurfaced, and now they are digging up a perfect portion at the intersection of Berg and Swellegrebbel, and paving the area.  I’m sure this comes at great cost, yet there are other roads that so desperately need resurfacing, and the call for this is apparently unheeded.  Von Manger is almost as bumpy as the pass to Die Hell 😀, Kanon street is disintegrating and will soon be a gravel road, to name but a few; but enhancements are done on perfect roads at the neglect of more urgent needs. Do you have some insight into the prioritisation of road maintenance?”

A: REPLY FROM SWELLENDAM MUNICIPALITY: “The construction of the raised intersection is separate to the resurfacing and upgrading of roads.  This project was undertaken as a result of a request from the community at an IDP meeting. The goal of the raised intersection is to drastically reduce speeds of trucks and motor vehicles in Swellengrebel Street as this is a busy street with a lot of pedestrian traffic. We are aware of the streets you’ve mentioned but these can unfortunately not be fixed with a simple resurfacing.  These roads must undergo a deeper “rebuild” to fully solve the problem. Should you have any further questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Infrastructure Offices.”

Q: “Hi Vicky.  I trust you are doing well. Could you please send a message to the community requesting that residents who recycle remove all labels from empty containers before recycling them. Additionally, if recycling bottles, please ask them to remove the caps and place them in the recycling separately. They should also cut or tear paper and boxes before recycling. This practice helps prevent the misuse of packaging for falsified content being sold as original products by criminals. Together we are stronger against crime in our beautiful town. Thank you and have a lovely weekend!” 
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Q: “Good afternoon. I am asking if perhaps you know whom may I communicate with to place a toilet outside in the yard for the people who are staying in there”
A: REPLY FROM SWELLENDAM MUNICIPALITY: “This matter requires a building control application so you will need to go to town planning at Lindt street.”
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Q: “Ek het my woning verlaat en vir my seun gaan kuier wat aangerand was en toe ek terug kom was daar by my huis ingebreek…hulle het alles gesteel wat in die huis was daar is n saak by die polisie gemaak maar nog niks gehoor nie. Ek het help nodig asb … alle klere skoene beddegoed en eetgery is gesteel.”
A: As daar iemand is wat iets kan skenk, laai dit asseblief by die Swellendam Munisipaliteit se hoofkantore by die ou biblioteek af en ons sal reël dat dit by hierdie man uitkom.
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Q: “ In verband met die Thusong Centre en die Munisipale geboue, ek hoor oor en oor van die begroting, maar daardie geboue is deur versekering gedek. Hoekom moet dit nou wag?”

A: (Swellendam munisipaliteit) “In terme van die Thusong program is daar reeds met die gebruikers departemente geskakel oor hul behoeftes en word hierdie versoeke in samewerking met Provinsie verwerk in ‘n bouplan wat gebruik sal word om ‘n Bill of Quantaties op te stel wat weer dan as basis vir ‘n tender gebruik sal word.  Tenders neem tussen 3 en 4 maande om af te handel (die administratiewe gedeelte).  Ons hoop om teen die einde van die jaar aan die Thusong te kan begin bou. Die munisipale gebou in Voortrek straat gaan langer neem want ons moet daar toestemming kry om die gebou te sloop; die gebou is oor verskeie erfgrense gebou en volgens die nuwe bou regulasies is dit nie toelaatbaar nie, so ons moet ‘n onderverdeling, konsolidering en hersonering proses volg.  Ons het ‘n ingenieurs maatskappy aangestel wat hierdie totale proses, wat die aanstel van ‘n argitek insluit, sal hanteer.  Die idee is om ‘n kompetisie vir argitekte/tekenaars te hou om te kyk na die herontwerp.  Natuurlik as ons die herontwerp gedoen het, moet die herbou in ‘n begrotingsproses ge-akkommodeer word.  Ons weet nou reeds dat die herbou wel gedeeltelik uit belastingbetalers se geld befonds sal moet word want die versekeringsuitbetaling sal nie die nuwe gebou ten volle kan akkommodeer nie.  Op die oomblik is ons prioriteit om die gebou hierdie jaar nog te kan sloop.  Die tender hiervoor behoort einde Mei te verskyn.”

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Q: “Wat gaan aan met die Railton Kliniek? Ons mense sukkel. Hoe lank gaan dit vat voor dit weer heropen”
A: (Swellendam Kliniek) “ Dit sal 8 maande tot 1 jaar vat voor dit gereed is.”

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Q: “ Die mense ry so vinnig op die paaie, ek het nounet ‘n kind sien amper dood op die pad. Kan die munisipaliteit nie asseblief speedbumps insit nie?”

A: (Swellendam Munisipaliteit) “Dit moet eerstens as ‘n behoefte in die GOP identifiseer word. Die owerheid probeer om een of twee spoedwalle per wyk per jaar te doen.  Dit word in die wykskomitee geprioritiseer en die Verkeersdepartement en Departement Paaie doen ‘n ondersoek oor die wenslikheid van ‘n spoedwal en ook die plasing.”
NOTE: Die GOP is die budget .. en dit is by die gemeenskapsvergaderings besluit.

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Q: “Daar is groot sement blokke in Railton … kan munisipaliteit nie asb dit verwyder nie?”
A: (Swellendam Munisipaliteit) “The Boulders have apparently been there for years and we do not know who placed them there. Unfortunately the Municipality does not have necessary equipment to move them.”

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Q: Ek sit met ‘n probleem met my handewasbakkie in Die Boord .. ons het dit al 4 keer aangemeld by die Asla kantoor en dit is nog nie reg nie. Het jy asb raad vir my.”

A: “As jy klagtes het oor enige ASLA huise stuur asb die volgende inligting aan vickybezuidenhout@gmail.com (epos):

1. Naam en van van die klaer

2. Erfnommer en adres van die betrokke eiendom.

3. Kontaknommer van die klaer

Ons sal dit ook waardeer indien u kan aandui of daar gewoonlik iemand tuis is, sodat die kontrakteur toegang tot die perseel kan verkry.

Neem asseblief ook kennis dat daar ’n retensieperiode van drie (3) maande is waarbinne die eienaar enige gebreke moet aanmeld. Hierdie periode begin vanaf die datum waarop die huise amptelik in ontvangs geneem is.”