NEWS
Page 2 People’s Post Atlantic SeaboardCity Edition
Officer disciplined for furniture delivery
Help get Jenny ‘out there’ GERDA VON BENECKE
TAMMY PETERSEN
DISCIPLINARY steps have been taken against an officer who allegedly used a police vehicle to deliver furniture to a block of flats in Rondebosch last month. The police, however, refused to tell People's Post what these disciplinary steps were. People’s Post previously reported on an alert driver who noticed an official police van driving down the Main Road in Kenilworth carrying a load of furniture on Sunday 20 February at 16:45 (“Police vehicle MOVING VIOLATION: Disciplinary action has been taken after ‘used for furniture delivery’”, an alert motorist witnessed a police vehicle being used to People’s Post, 1 March). transport furniture last month. The man, who does not want to be named, took photos of the Toyota Hilux It is understood that the officer was moving bakkie, emblazoned with the police logo and and had used the vehicle to move his furniture “SCM Somerset West” on the side, which was from the Parkhof police barracks in Kenilcarrying a fridge, stove and other household worth. appliances. The vehicle had been booked out, but the The bakkie, which did not have a canopy, station commissioner had not given the officwas also transporting two teenagers, an elder- er the necessary authorisation to use the vehily man and two young men on the back. cle. The reader then tailed the vehicle to see When People’s Post questioned police whether it was being used for “official police about the rank of the officer and what the disbusiness”. ciplinary steps against him would be, ConstaHe followed it from Aliwal Road in Kenil- ble Susan Jantjies, spokesperson for Somerset worth to a block of flats on the corner of Rou- West police, refused to answer, stating that the wkoop, Ednam and Kingsbury Park roads in “matter is under investigation”. Rondebosch. The man took down the registraHowever, she did confirm earlier that discition number and watched as the plain-clothed plinary steps “have been instituted against driver off-loaded the furniture and carried it the responsible member” and that he “has inside a side door that leads to the rows of flats. been informed about the necessary discipliHe was unable to see where the furniture nary actions against him”. was being taken, but noted that the people Colonel Mary-Ann Williams, the station went inside the block before the man had start- commissioner of Somerset West police, also ed off-loading the items. declined to comment on the details of the inAfter 30 minutes, they had still not returned. vestigation. An investigation was launched after People’s When asked what the disciplinary measPost sent the man’s report and photos to the ures against the officer were, she responded provincial and Somerset West police. The pho- only that a formal disciplinary investigation tos clearly showed the driver and passengers. had been undertaken.
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A RESIDENT with cerebral palsy is in a life-and-death battle to get Botox. She is appealing to the community to help her as her medical aid submission for Botox will probably be rejected. Jenny Symons was born with cerebral palsy, caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during birth. This, says Jenny, caused brain damage, which ultimately affected her arms, legs and speech. She suffers from dystonia (a neurological movement disorder, in which DOUBLE TROUBLE: Theodora Mzebetshann sustained muscle contractions cause twist- (left), one of Jenny’s (right) very appreciated ing and repetitive movements or abnormal carers, moments before yet another “big ride”. postures). She is going into spasms and at Photo: Gerda von Benecke times her neck is thrust back and she cannot breathe as a result. (CP) Athletes with 620 other CP athletes – The only thing that will help her is Botox, again breaking a world record in shotput. but her medical aid considers it to be a cosIn 1994 she went to Malta for the Internametic treatment and not a medical expendi- tional Paralympic Committee World Swimture. ming Competition where she won two “It is literally a case of life and death,” she bronze medals at the age of 33, being beaten told People’s Post, while begging for an ap- to the finish line by a 19-year-old. peal for help to be published. And then there’s her love for talking and She added: “This is very difficult for me. public speaking. She did nine talks in three I have never asked for help before.” days in 2000 in Bloemfontein to help people Few people realise that behind Jenny’s ex- understand cerebral palsy better. terior, there is a perfectly normal brain. She There’s a lot of things on Jenny’s “still to is a self-confessed speed junkie, so a few do” list, including taking a ride in a race car days before her 50th birthday, Jenny’s long- and finding a way to paint. time friend and neighbour of 10 years, Sean But what she’s really looking forward to, Light, took her for a bike ride on the M5. after several years of going through multiIt was nothing like the scooter for disabled ple operations and setbacks, is to “get her people she owned at one stage, says Jenny. life back on track” and to “get back out there For one, this one’s wheel didn’t just fall to do life”. At the moment she just doesn’t off. In fact, burning down the freeway was know how. an “absolute blast”. Even though Jenny’s father, Michael SyAs for her sense of adventure? No problem mons, has made financial provision for her whatsoever. She’s gone bungee jumping, future and although she is on a medical tandem skydiving and horse riding in New fund, expenses due to several bladder operaZealand. tions from October 2009 to mid-year 2010, esJenny says she “lives an active life” – a sential Botox injections every eight months bit of an understatement. and monthly expenses, including special She has represented South Africa several stoma bags and nappies, have just made it times in swimming and shotput, having impossible for Jenny to keep up financially. been chosen for the first time as part of the Anyone able to provide assistance and/or Springbok team to go to Israel in 1984, where donations to help Jenny “get back out there” she won gold in swimming and broke a can phone Jenny on (021) 761-9951, send her world record in shotput. In 1993 Jenny won an email on jennysymons@telkomsa.net or gold and silver in England at the Robin Hood send an email to Ruth Minnaar at ruthminInternational Games for Cerebral Palsied naar@yahoo.com.
Understanding the twinkle ON Saturday 26 March, the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town will have a public lecture at 20:00. Laure Catala, an MSc studet at UCT, will talk about "Untwinkling the stars". Everyone has sang "Twinkle twinkle little star" while growing up. During her presentation, Catala will explain why stars twinkle and how an adap-
tive optics system can compensate for this effect. She will also give an outline of the challenges involved in the particular case of developing an adaptive optics system for SALT. Public lectures at SAAO are free and there is no need to book. After the talk there will be stargazing, tours of the library and the McClean museum. Visitors are should arrive by 19:30 to allow time for parking.
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