THE Allanridge Civic Centre, once a beacon of hope and a lifeline to its surrounding community, is being destroyed by vandals.
At the centre is the Allanridge Library, which offered children and adults knowledge through reading and it served as a haven for children during holidays conducting educational programmes. The centre also served as a venue for many uplifting, inspiring and memorable events, all of these which no longer can be accommodated here. The Allanridge Civic Centre was officially opened during 1984 by the “champion of the oppressed” Reverend Allan Hendrickse after which it was named.
Feeding project targeted
The national award-winning Uitenhage Recycling Mula Swop Shop, until the start of Lockdown in 2020, also functioned from this premises. But, it was forced to stop its activities, owing not only to the venue continually being vandalised, but also children attending the project being harassed and targeted by these vandals.
Mula offered hundreds of children from the community the chance to exchange plastic and cardboard recyclables for food, clothing, educational material or toys.
According to Quinette Goosen, who together with Glenise Howard and Olive Grimsel founded the project, a total of approximately 113 644kg of plastic and cardboard was removed from the area over a period of four years. The impact of the project was clearly visible, but since it stopped, the area is once again in a filthy state and hundreds of children are left without the one-a-week healthy meal benefits.
Library destroyed
Mamela Ndamase, communications officer at the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said that although the Allanridge Civic Centre is continuously targeted by vandals and the library is in a bad situation, “There is no thought of closing the library for good, as it is a need in that community.”
Ndamase said there are discussions and plans to assess the damage and to source funding for repairing the facility.
“It needs all the stakeholders, officials, the community, ward committees and schools in the area to make residents continuously aware of the value of such facilities.
“The community needs to be encouraged to take ownership of that facility as it is there to assist and improve their lives. We need champions from within the communities to lead from the front in protecting these facilities.”
The NMBM Executive Mayor has set up an anti-vandalism steering committee that will be implementing some solutions including educating residents about the importance of these facilities.
Although there are no security guards on site, the gates and all openings were welded shut to hinder access. To safeguard some assets, the computers and all the books were removed from the facility.
Joe Slovo community upset
Members of the Joe Slovo community are upset about the vandals who destroyed their life-line.
“It is not the Joe Slovo community who did this. It is a few vandals. We see them, we know them, but can do nothing as they target us and our children and threaten to burn down our homes and even harm us,” said a concerned resident who wished not to be named for fear of being victimized by the vandals.
“We used to watch the most beautiful musical shows here, spectacular weddings, diploma ceremonies … but now this is a devastating sight to see. It is out of control. All kinds of distasteful deals and activities are taking place right in front of us. There is no law enforcement, so what can we do if the authorities are not taking action?
“We need as a whole community to stand up against these vandals. We need to fight back for what is ours. But, somehow it seems that the community is paralysed, as if they have lost hope.
“The late Reverend Allan Hendrickse would turn in his grave if he could see what the descendants of the people for whom he has fought, are doing to the community, demolishing his legacy!”
