BUILDING BRIDGES
THROUGH
ARTS & CULTURE
DENIS GOLDBERG LEGACY FOUNDATION TRUST
NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2018
Registration No. IT001927/2016(C)
Trustees: Dr D K Abrahams; David Goldberg; Denis Goldberg; Josef Noero;
PBO 930061049
DENIS GOLDBERG FOUNDATION HOUSE OF HOPE
BREAKING NEWS
Over the past few months, Denis Goldberg has received tons of support from friends, well-
wishers, the business world, a vast network of community-spirited people, in regard to the
House of Hope vision and project which Denis is pursuing. We think a newsletter every few
months, updating our network on the progress we’re making, would be a good idea. This is
the first such newsletter.
Firstly, and to those not fully abreast of what the House of Hope project involves, a brief
introduction. Lifelong political activist Denis Goldberg is, through the Denis Goldberg Legacy
Foundation Trust, going to erect a cultural and educational centre – the House of Hope – in
Hout Bay. The facility will consist of an auditorium, and small studios through which the youth
of Imizamo Yethu, Hangberg and the Hout Bay Valley will be introduced to the life-changing
worlds of music, art, dancing and many other magical things. In addition, there will be training
in information technology and artisan skills, to empower those entering the job market, as well
as equip young people for today’s technology-dominated world more generally.
The lease agreement for the site has has just been signed and the process of obtaining
approval from government and other authorities is in the final stages.
In the meantime, Denis has embarked on a tireless fundraising campaign, and so far raised
and/or been promised close to R2 million, representing 30% of the R6 million construction
costs that will be needed for the first phase of the House of Hope, excluding the auditorium.
One of the recent fundraising highlights resulted from an offer from Tanya Blacher. Tanya is a
recent immigrant from Britain to the Republic of Hout Bay. After the fire at Imizamo Yethu, a
choir called Ingoma composed of 30 men and women from the community emerged. Tanya
undertook to be their manager and sponsor. She organised a wine tasting experience at
Groot Constantia sponsored by her friends at K2 Finance. This marvellous evening which
featured the Ingoma choir resulted in donations to our trust fund north of R27,000.
South African Donors are advised to use the Payfast method
If you are abroad you may use either Gofundme or Payfast both available through the website
Otherwise Payment details are as follows:
Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation Trust
Nedbank
A/C No. 1146197411
Sort Code 167609
Swift Code NedsZAJJ
Obtaining plan approval, and building the House of Hope, is going to take several more
months. Denis, as always, is a man who wants to get things going and has launched a
number of exciting initiatives in Hout Bay. These are:
1. Sports
a. We have sponsored the Hout Bay Horizon Stars football team. They have around 80 young
players aged 8-16 years registered with the South African Football Association (SAFA). Their
kit carries the statement “sponsored by the Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation”. They play in
the U10, U12, U16 competitions organised by SAFA. We don’t always win but we do get
points for good behaviour, for turnout and for lifestyle training. We see football as a means
and incentive to develop the personalities of young people.
b. We are working with James House, a local non-governmental organisation, and Sidney
Phillips, who manages the Hout Bay Horizon Stars, to create two five-a-side football pitches
and a netball court on the James House site. We have agreed in principle on this but need to
get quotations for the gum poles, netting, goal posts and levelling the ground before we finally
commit funds. We shall use as many local workers as we can from Imizamo Yethu and the
Hangberg. We want to create a five-a-side league for Hout Bay.
2. School Holiday Programs
This past school vacation, the Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation co-operated with Lalela, a
non-governmental organisation utilising art as a vehicle for uplifting and empowering our
youth, in presenting an art workshop to approximately 80 local primary and high school
children for two weeks. By whatever standards it was measured, it was a great success. We
also held a workshop for 60 children at James House for two weeks of painting, drawing,
dancing and speaking each other’s languages – English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa. Our smaller but
successful event at the Hout Bay Museum showed how vulnerable we are to the instability of
the local community. “Taxi violence” interrupted the programme. Lessons were learned from
this experience and we shall persevere. Similar workshops will be arranged for the end of the
year school holiday, incorporating art, soccer, netball and all the other activities we have
written about.
3. Skills Training
There is massive unemployment in the historically disadvantaged community in Hout Bay. We
believe that basic training in handwork skills for men and women will make it easier for at
least some to obtain, we hope, long-term employment.
We envisage simple plumbing, painting, plastering, woodworking and cooking. For example, it
would prepare them to be assistant chefs in bistros and township (spaza) eateries. These
could become opportunities for those who have an interest in setting up their own businesses.
We will find mentors for them. Craig Dunlop of the Workshop Space is working with Justin
Strong of Snoekies to see how we can get this project going.
So the Denis Goldberg Legacy Foundation is marching, steadily and efficiently, towards its short
and long-term goals. We thank all of you who have assisted, in a variety of ways, in reaching for
this dream and hope that your numbers will increase dramatically over the coming months.
Siyabulela.
For more infomation go to:
Denis Goldberg’s House of Hope in Hout Bay
On YouTube: Moments in a Life by Matthijs Van Dijk narrated by Denis Goldberg