Ann Olivier

[Pookie's Polls & Opinions @pookiepolls]

I saw this on FB and it made me very sad. Is their absolutely NOTHING that this criminal government can do properly.

Written by James Deacon.

I am about to write what has to be one of the most difficult and painful posts for me to write on Facebook.

On Friday I was given news which unfortunately I cannot disclose yet that has forced me to turn my back on something I truly love with all my heart: Kirstenbosch Garden.

I have been involved there for 19 years due to my love and passion for the garden. However Kirstenbosch is no longer a place that brings me joy and happiness but rather pain and sadness.

When I walk through nursery now I see neglect, decay and death. The amazing plant collections that have taken decades and more to establish sit neglected slowly dying.

The Protea collection is less than a third of what it was and only a fraction of the Ericas remain. One plant has gone from extinct in the wild to completely extinct purely due to lack effort to keep it going. Places once full of plants sit empty and in some cases full of weeds because the production of plants is so diminished.

Great plantsmen and women like Ernst van Jaarsveld, Monique McQuillan , Louise Nurrish , Cherise Viljoen , Anthony Hitchcock who I admired and looked up to all left way before they should have because working there had become so unpleasant and because things like procurement made it impossible for them to do their jobs.

One told me when they tried to order pots the response they got from the management of SANBI the SOE that runs many of the country's botanical gardens was what were they cooking. Another ordered pots and three years later they yet to arrive.

Poor financial management has resulted in the organisation having to use funds donated for educational purpose to pay staff salaries.

Kirstenbosch no longer has a Protea or an Erica expert and hasn't had either for years.

Staff morale is at an all time low and respect for the leadership of the garden has broken down.

The garden cannot produce metal labels to tell visitor what the names of the plants are.

I say all these things not out of animosity to anyone or with the desire to see people in trouble. I say these things because I love the garden and what I am seeing is breaking my heart. I am also saying these things because after all the friends, experiences, knowledge and memories the garden has given me I feel I have a duty to speak out for the garden in difficult times such as these.

I don't know what will happen to me for saying all this. Maybe I will be banned from the garden or get into trouble. However I refuse to stay silent and standby while the things and people that I care about suffer. I also feel that we the current custodians of the garden have a duty to preserve and protect the work of those custodians of the past for the custodians of the future.

We have two choices to be remembered as those who fought for Kirstenbosch during its most difficult and challenging times or as those who sat idly by and allowed it break down and be ruined.

I don't know if anyone will read this or if it will achieve anything but I will not keep silent while the place I love suffers and will continue to speak out against what is happening.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@ronsterd89 Drain them then in a frying pan, toss in butter, garlic and chives. If your budget allows add bacon bits or even cooked ham. Keep it simple.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@DavidPerlmutter Give up Statins and then Ditch the carbs and seed oils

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@rainSouthAfrica @sibulelembalo Continually challenges with your service Rain. Up and down on a minute by minute basis. Very disappointing

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@RediTlhabi All along Christian de Wet, from Hendrik Potgieter to Beyer's Naude.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@_APWK_ Never ever to have another vaccination!!!

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@Rand_Water No water in Robinson Ave, Discovery??? Please provide expected time of water return for this area.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@Rand_Water Please explain why Discovery had water for 2 hours 12.00 to 2pm yesterday (Monday) Then dry taps and currently still dry now!!! Have all the valves been opened, please check now and not next week!!!

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@Rand_Water We had water in Discovery from about 12 midday for 2 hours. Taps now dry again!!! ARE THE VALVES ALL OPEN?

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@AshandyTemi 50 + 30 - 1 quickest and so simple.

[Ole Lehmann @itsolelehmann]

I used to think I was rational.

Then I read Daniel Kahneman's Nobel Prize-winning work on human decision-making.

He routinely asks 8 questions to expose cognitive traps you fall into daily.

Test yourself with these questions (it's the ultimate BS detector for your brain):

[Restoring Your Faith in Humanity @HumanityChad]

Eddison reunites with grandma who raised him after 4 years

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@JohnConstas Yes

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@carteblanchetv @DStv @MNet Thank you

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@CityPowerJhb please update in Discovery, Roodepoort. Specifically 5 Robinson Avenue

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@JHBWater Please update on the expected return of supply in the Discovery Roodepoort area.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@adonis_wiedaad @Rand_Water No water in Discovery, Roodepoort and no information of expected time of return???

[The Running Mann @runningmann100]

The sad story of how one runner's #Comrades dream was shattered before the 5km mark - as well as detailed analysis of how safety rules and regulations were flouted at #Comrades2023.
https://t.co/dGaBM7DakJ

#comradesmarathon2023 #comradesmarathon

[The Running Mann @runningmann100]

Urgent: Carte Blanche are doing a story this Sun on #Comrades cutoffs. If you're a Joburg-based runner with multiple Comrades finishes directly impacted by the cutoffs & willing to be interviewed please DM your contact details so that I can pass them onto the Carte Blanche team.

[Ann Olivier @maol14]

@scmacfie @CityPowerJhb Large area, Marina out for at least 5h, came back and went off again