Embedded Files
Background (socio-economic problems in Ottery)
Ottery is situated south of Cape Town, in the area generally referred to as the Cape Flats. The specific area in Ottery where the Cole Bee Foundation is active consists of council flat and houses, with numerous shacks in backyards as well as in open fields.
In this area, drug abuse and gangsterism are rife in most households. The death rate, especially amongst young people, is on the increase because of gangsterism, as the gangs fight over drug turf. Prostitution has also become a trend as people need to support their drug habits.
State-funded facilities like the local library and sports centre are under-utilized as frequent gang warfare in the street in front of these facilities makes it a no-go area for those who want to use it for studying, borrowing books or sport activities.
The founder of CBF, Nicole Bester, lives in the area, where she is raising her four sons, aged 8 to 15 years, as a single mother. She receives a monthly child support grant. She used to receive a stipend for her work for the Community and Safety programme run by the Western Cape Government, but this programme has now come to an end. Nicole is a member of the local Pentecostal Church and the Cole Bee Foundation uses the church hall as its base for activities. Run the programmes as volunteers.
There have been many instances this year where innocent people died because they were caught in the crossfire of gang wars. Nicole Bester was moved to write a poem about this loss of life, which was published in the Southern Mail in April 2022.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse