Saturday, July 28, 2007

Letters - Briewe

Who is Mr Errol Appleby-Smith?

On the morning that the artist started carving the blue gum stumps I tried to contact someone of ABSA, Johannesburg, to try and save what could still be saved of the trees. I spoke to Mr. A Bothma and Letisha van Dyk. During the afternoon Mrs Ludolf phoned me and told me that ABSA were under no obligation to consult the residents of Prince Albert.

Around 5.00 pm on the same day I received a call from Mr Errol Appleby-Smith of ABSA who asked me to send him all the information (letters of objections, photographs, Council letter of approval etc.) The address he gave me was: P.O. Box 7735, Johannesburg, 2000. I asked him to fax the address to me which he did not do. The information was sent to him by express mail but was returned to sender about ten days later.

I phoned Mr Appleby-Smith again to tell him that the envelope had been returned whereupon he gave me another address: ABSA Tower East, 1st floor, Office Chief Executive, Johannesburg, 2000. I again asked him to fax the address to me but he did not do so.

The information was again posted to Mr Smith but surprisingly enough it was again returned to the sender! After this when I tried to phone him he did not answer his phone.

Mrs Botma of ABSA branch, Prince Albert, has confirmed that Mr Appleby-Smith works for ABSA but she can't find out what his position is.

Who is Mr Appleby-Smith at ABSA?

Bodo G. Toelstede


Mr Appleby-Smith Responds:

It is with regret that I have learned about Mr Toelstede's difficulty to communicate with me. I have on several occasions communicated my correct PO Box number to him. I have ascertained that the number he used is 775 instead of 7735. This explains why his communication did not reach me. I have subsequently communicated to him on email and sent him my correct address.

Communities are very important to Absa. The bank has not divorced itself from Mr Toelstede's complaint regarding the cutting of the trees. We have been told that the correct procedures were followed and that the individuals who were involved in the project obtained the correct approvals through the appropriate channels.

We were under the impression that we were giving the community something which could be treasured for generations to come. We even received praise from some members of the Prince Albert community for our involvement in the creation of the artworks.

Absa is environmentally conscious and I personally consulted universities to ascertain the threat the alien Blue Gum trees pose to the South African flora and environment. I am satisfied that the Prince Albert Council made the correct choice. However, I am still concerned if Absa was involved in a process which did not consult the community appropriately and I will be the first to apologise on behalf of the Absa Group if that is the case.

I have again invited Mr Toelstede to communicate the community's complaints to me as soon as possible so that we can find a solution for the problem together.

Errol Appleby-Smith
Communication Manager:
Office of the Group Chief Executive
Absa Group Limited

Bedanking: Charmaine van Eck

‘n Maand gelede het ons ‘n beroep op Prince Albert en sy mense gedoen. Finansiële bydraes het begin instroom. Die reaksie was werklik oorweldigend! Ons mense het hul harte en beursies oop gemaak vir ‘n baie siek vrou.

Intussen het die Van Eck gesin ‘n eggenote en moeder aan die dood af gegee.

Dankie!!! Baie dankie aan al ons inwoners wat in die geweldige moeilike en hartseer tyd daar was vir Johan en sy kinders met oproepe, eetgoed, ‘n drukkie, blomme en kaartjies, maar bowenal het u gebede hul deur hierdie moeilike tyd gedra.
Dankie Prince Albert. Ons dorpie se mense gee nog om vir mekaar.

A Good Deed:
How far that little candle throws her beams.
So shines a good deed in a naughty world. (Shakespeare)

Debbie Badenhorst & Chantelle van Eck


Bedanking: Audrey de Wit

Graag wil ons as gesin baie dankie sê aan al my ma se vriende wat haar gereeld gaan besoek het in Huis Kweekvallei.

Baie dankie aan almal se liefde en omgee vir haar deur die jare.

Ek is ook dankbaar vir haar laaste lang kuier van Februarie tot Mei 2006 by ons in Aliwal Noord. Ek, Christelle en Ilse het haar behoorlik bederf. Sy het baie uitgesien na haar volgende kuier by ons in Oktober 2006 maar het begin September ‘n beroerte aanval gehad. Dit is juis hoekom ek haar tydelik by ons en daarna by die Katolieke nonne versorg het. Ons kon haar daagliks besoek en help met die versorging.

Met haar versorging by die Katolieke outehuis in Aliwal het sy gereeld gehoor hoe die Duitse susters ( nonne ) Blye versekering, Jesus is myne sing. Dit was haar gunsteling lied.

My ma was ook ‘n groot liefhebber van klassieke musiek en het veral baie van Rachmaninov en Tchaikovsky se werk gehou. Sy het ook baie van William Shakespeare se boeke gehou en kon lang aanhalings uit haar kop doen.

Ook ‘n groot dankie aan almal wat betrokke was by die tuin by Huis Kweekvallei. Dankie dat dit na haar vernoem is. Ons is net so trots daarop as wat sy sou wees.

Edelweiss Wessels en gesin
Aliwal Noord


Dankie aan ons ondersteuners

Daar was aan die einde van Mei 2007 ‘n baie groot behoefte by die Bejaar-de Sorg Sentrum. Verskeie persone het donasies gegee. Hiermee wil die komitee van die Sentrum graag die volgende persone bedank:
Mnr Willie de Bruin, Mnr Serfontein van Konings, Mnr Stander van die groentewinkel and Mnr Senekal.

Ons wil u verseker dat dit hoog gewaardeer word. Baie dankie dat u bereid was om ons nood te verlig. Ons het nog donasies nodig, aangesien ons nog nie uit die rooi is nie.

Mev Dulcie Claassen


'n Nuwe Naam!

Ontmoet “SARA-MARI” du Plessis, Hennie du Plessis se "tweede" vrou. Die naam "MARA" behoort tot 'n hoofstuk van haar lewe wat afgesluit is deur vergifnis.

Please meet "SARA-MARI" du Plessis, Hennie du Plessis' "second" wife. The name "MARA" belongs to a chapter of her life that's now closed through forgiveness.

Sara-Mari du Plessis

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