Category Archives: WhaleTales Blog

Open Letter to the Camps Bay CID Steering Committee.

Yesterday I attended the first meeting of the proposed Camps Bay CID. It is to have three legs: Crime prevention, Homelessness prevention, and Environment/Cleanliness.

The Steering Committee is heavily dominated by males who are not on Social Media. The presentation focused on it only costing R1000 pm more per household, in addition to our Rates & Taxes. The main reason for having a CID is that Camps Bay cannot rely on the work of Volunteers, as they go on holiday, move to other areas, die, lose interest, run out of money…. Etc. I was seething, a Proud Volunteer.

They had not contacted me about Camps Bay Clean, and only featured a year old photograph of one of our beach clean ups, without recognition of Camps Bay Clean.

Today I decided to address the Steering Committee, to inform them of what I do, and to invite them to our Beach Clean on Sunday.
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Open Letter to the Camps Bay CID:

‘Dear Spencer and CID Steering Committee

Thank you for the opportunity to meet you yesterday and for the punt for funding of CAMPS BAY CLEAN for the next 10 months and hopefully beyond 1 July 2024.

I was sad that you have so little information about CAMPS BAY CLEAN and the work that I have done in the past 4 years, on a volunteer basis. I’m proudly working as a volunteer in keeping Camps Bay Clean, and I have no intention of losing interest, in moving house (I’ve lived in Camps Bay for 33 years) again, or in dying anytime soon!

As a keen walker I started noticing litter in the stream at the Tidal Pool on 2 nd of January 2019, and fetched refuse bags from my home, and cleaned the stream of picnic plates, plastic bottles, and KFC chicken bones in the main. Given that the stream flows into the ocean, I have taken the stream under my wings, and ‘adopted’ it.

Increasingly I have seen and read about Litter Hotspots in various parts of Camps Bay: ironically next to green bins, around vagrant structures, in parks, on walking trails, at the Camps Bay Drive viewpoint, at MyCiti Bus stops, at the Hussar Grill parking area, at the Symmonds Field, at Maidens Cove, and in lanes and steps, to name a few.

I worked with three homeless persons supplied via Ignisive initially but two of these were a disaster : one on drugs with mental problems, another was lazy and slept in his car when I wasn’t with them, and the third, a lady, wanted to be a car guard and work close to where her husband did the same. I gave up, very disappointed!

By luck I met Malawian Gift, who is a gardener by day, but could spend an afternoon a week with me to deal with litter hotspots.

Gift had other work obligations, so I found Malawian Joy, who also had a morning job, but could work with me once a week in the afternoons for a year. He is a real ….. joy to deal with, pardon the pun, smiling and loving his job. Since 1 August 2023 he has been working with me full-time, when he was retrenched by his former employer. Joy is a fantastic ambassador for Camps Bay and CAMPS BAY CLEAN. I bit the bullet in employing him full-time, and I am extremely grateful to the Camps Bay Community and businesses in providing donations and sponsorships.

We request the Community to identify Litter Hotspots on the days that Joy is available, and then we drive from hotspot to hotspot to remove the litter. We drop off the bags at the rock opposite Pick n Pay, for the City orange Truck to collect them before the end of the day, and before they can be torn open by vagrants.

Once a month we involve the community in a Beach Clean, the last Sunday of the month, for an hour, and I am delighted that so many families with their dogs and children participate. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has joined two such Beach cleans in the past two years, with record attendance.

In the past six months (1 January – 30 June 2023) Joy filled 413 bags of litter, while the community Beach clean saw a total of 183 bags filled, a combined total of 596 bags.

I have an excellent relationship with Councillor Nicola Jowell and the City Cleansing Department.

I am confused between a vague promise in the Business Plan of working with Cleansing volunteers (not sure why the CID cannot acknowledge CAMPS BAY CLEAN by name) after 1 July 2024, given the Volunteer-bashing throughout the Business Plan and in the presentation yesterday.

I am willing to guide you about Litter Cleaning in Camps Bay. There is no one else in our suburb with the experience that I have, after four years of CAMPS BAY CLEAN.

I would like to invite all the CID Steering Committee members to join us at our Community Beach Clean on Sunday 27 August, from 11h00 – 12h00, meeting opposite The 41 Restaurant. Only 3 members of the CID Steering Committee have ever participated in one of our Beach Cleans. Please see details below.

Camps Bay Community Litter Clean on Sunday 27 August 🌴🐠🐳🐬🦤🐡🐟🌴

Please join our Community Beach Clean on Sunday 27 August, from 11h00 – 12h00. We meet opposite The 41 Restaurant. Please bring members of your family and friends and colleagues, wearing gloves. We will provide bags. The 41 Restaurant offers complimentary Fitch & Leedes beverages for each participant. It also offers a prize of two Burgers for the person collecting the most litter.

We welcome learners in joining us for their Community projects. We welcome donations, having appointed Joy full-time on weekdays from 1 August.

We are grateful for the sponsorship of NOX, Camps Bay Ratepayers Association, and Harcourts Atlantic, and donations from our residents. 🙏

LETS KEEP CAMPS BAY CLEAN, TOGETHER 🌴💚
Chris von Ulmenstein 🌴Camps Bay Clean💚 Camps Bay Ratepayers Association 0825511323

Thank you

Chris von Ulmenstein
CAMPS BAY CLEAN
Camps Bay Ratepayers Association Environment Portfolio
0825511323’

Beloved Carte Blanche presenter Derek Watts passes away.

Today Derek Watts, the well-known, respected, and loved Carte Blanche TV presenter, passed away. He was 74 years old. He was a presenter for 35 years.

News 24 writes, quoting his long-standing fellow presenter Ruda Landman:

Carte Blanche started in 1988, and although it was a difficult and tumultuous year, the changes were inspiring and filled with hope. We were always live in the studio, and I was always relaxed with him next to me. Nothing could faze him. Nothing caught him off guard and unaware’.

‘He was always ready. His jokes always caught me off guard. We were different personalities, meaning the show had a wider range and reached more of our viewers in their hearts, ‘she said.

Last year, Watts was diagnosed with skin cancer that then spread to his lungs’.

I met Watts in 2020 when he investigated the story about the misleading marketing of the SA Butler Academy, brave former student of the Butler Academy Lin Yang having alerted the Carte Blanche producers to the shenanigans of the Butler Academy.

As I had written about the misleading marketing of the Butler Academy on this Blog in 2013, Ms Lin, a past student, and I were interviewed. As it was during Covid, the interview with me was filmed at my home in Camps Bay.

Derek struck me as a kind and gentle person, making me feel relaxed before and during the interview. The Carte Blanche program highlighted the lack of credibility of the SA Butler Academy and its owners.

Carte Blanche exposes SA Butler Academy Marketing deception, first exposed on WhaleTales Blog in 2013!

My condolences go to his family. May he RIP.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323

Twitter:@Ulmenstein

Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide, WhaleTales Blog, Camps Bay Clean

Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide @whaletalesblog @campsbayclean

Kfm 30 Best of the Cape Awards 2023 announced

Today Kfm, the Cape’s largest radio station, announced its 30 Best of the Cape businesses in the Western Cape, having narrowed down its Top 5 Finalists in each category after its 1,2 million listeners voted, and revealing the 30 category winners.

The 30 winners are the following:

Eat & Drink :

*. Best Breakfast Spot : Bo-Kaap Deli

*. Best Date Night Restaurant : Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia

*. Best Takeaway Spot: Butler’s Pizza

*. Best Coffee: Bootlegger Coffee Company

*. Best Pet-friendly Eatery : The Grill Shack

*. Best Local Craft Beer: Darling Brew in Woodstock

*. Best Family Restaurant: Ashley’s Family Restaurant in Goodwood

*. Best Farm Stall: Peregrine Farm Stall in Grabouw

‘. Best Biltong: J&M

*. Best Bakery : Ou Meul Bakery & Café

*. Best Local Craft Spirit Brand: Hout Bay Harbour Distillery in Hout Bay

Fan Favorites

*. Best Professional Sports Team or Person : DHL Stormers

*. Best Amateur Sports Club : Hamilton’s Rugby Club in Green Point

*. Best Local Musician : YoungstaCPT

Business

*. Best Hairdresser: The Mom Salon in Kuilsriver

*. Best Barber: Moustache Barber Shop in Camps Bay

*. Best Place to Sweat: Parkrun

*. Best Neighbourhood Shop: The Roots Earth Friendly Pantry

*. Best Internet Service Provider : Afrihost

*. Best Online Store : Takealot.com

*. Best Professional Service Provider : Dogs Day Out in Strand

Stay

*. Best Wedding Venue: Joubertsdal Country Estate in Swellendam

*. Best Weekend Stay: Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve in Cederberg

*. Best Dorpie: Knysna

*. Best Hotel: Old MacDaddy Trailer Park

*. Best Market: Elgin Railway Market

Experience

*. Best Farm Stall: Peregrine Farm Stall in Grabouw

*. Best Adventure Experience: Ceres Rail Company in Cape Town

*. Best Tourism Attraction: Table Mountain Cableway

*. Best Wine Farm Experience: Babylonstoren

*. Best Kids Party Spot : Bugs Playpark

A special new Kfm Station Choice Award 2033 went to Bertie, the smallest coffee service in Cape Town.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323

Twitter:@Ulmenstein

Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide, Camps Bay Clean, WhaleTales Blog

Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide @whaletalesblog @campsbayclean

SA Butler Academy apologises to 2019 student Lin Yang, and to refund her costs by court order!

In 2019 I met Lin Yang, a Singaporean who studied at the South African Butler Academy at what it claimed to be a world class institution, given the marketing promises made on its website. She was expelled from the course on the third day of her studies, allegedly due to being late for her classes. She was not refunded her course fees , and headed to our High Court on a three year journey to obtain her fees and costs back.

After her experience with the SA Butler Academy she embarked on extensive research about the training institution, evaluating its website in the English and Chinese webpages, its brochure, and any other communication about the institution on Google. She interacted with close to 90 other students of the institution, receiving input from them, finding that there were a large number of similar experiences.

In doing so, she found my 2013 Blogpost about the SA Butler Academy and its misleading marketing, which I had discovered by analysing its website, after I had a bad experience with a student of the institution as a short-lived guest house employee.

My 2013 Blogpost visibility arose from the number of students who have found it on the first page of Google when one searches ‘SA Butler Academy’, despite intensive attempts by the institution to fill its space with links and videos as to push my Blogpost further down onto page 2 or even lower. My Blogpost doggedly remains on on page one of Google, even ten years later!

Miss Lin and I met, and since then we have remained in touch. She refers SA Butler Academy students who have problems with the institution to my SA Butler Academy Blogposts, including the 2013 one. In the past three years Miss Lin has been determined to find any avenue to evaluate the truthfulness or not of the SA Butler Academy claims made on its website. She found, for example, that :

*. SA Butler Academy owner Newton Cross had not been the Butler of the late President Mandela, as claimed. Miss Lin reported this to the Mandela Foundation, which pressurised the institution to remove his name from its website.

*. Miss Lin was shocked that a photograph of her and a classmate was used on the Academy website for publicity purposes, despite only attending two days of the course and being a litigant against the Academy.

*. She discovered that the SA Butler Academy could not provide proof for the following claims made by the institution on its website:

#. That its courses are accredited

#. That it has proof of its claim of ‘No. 1 Butler School in the World’

#. That SA Butler Academy owner Newton Cross holds a claimed qualification from the ’Buckingham Palace Butler School’

#. Newton Cross’ claim that he worked as a Butler on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship, when he in fact was merely a waiter.

#. That Newton Cross has worked as a Butler, as claimed, for Former President Bill Clinton, Former President Bush Senior, Former President Mbeki, the late President Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, golfer Tiger Woods, and a number of other celebrities.

#. The partner businesses SA Butler Academy and Guild Recruitment jointly misled students: the SA Butler Academy promised students that they would receive jobs via its Guild Recruitment. Guild Recruitment would advertise Butler jobs, encouraging prospective applicants to do the SA Butler Academy course if they were not already a student or graduate of the institution.

Miss Lin also lodged complaints with the following authorities :

*. The City of Cape Town, for a building accommodating the SA Butler Academy students whilst on the course (students were forced to use the overcrowded accommodation and were charged an additional fee), in violation of a City by-law to use private accommodation for commercial purposes.

*. The Equality Court, which became a directional hearing, and advised that it was not the correct forum for her to claim the funds owed.

*. The National Consumer Commission, where she and 22 other past students of the SA Butler Academy have a class action against the institution.

*. As her residential address and photograph were published on the SA Butler Academy website, Miss Lin approached the POPI (Protection of Personal Information) Regulator to lodge a complaint.

*. Carte Blanche, to whom she and other fellow students reported the matter, and in November 2020 Derek Watts interviewed Miss Lin and I about the misleading marketing claims made by the SA Butler Academy on its website, followed by the broadcast in December 2020. This was a powerful step forward for Miss Lin, yet the institution persevered in not refunding her the course fees. A large number of students interacted with Miss Lin after this exposé on Carte Blanche.

https://www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog/cape-town/carte-blanche-exposes-sa-butler-academy-marketing-deception-first-exposed-on-whaletales-blog-in-2013

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100068498080492

Given the amount of pressure which Miss Lin was placing on the SA Butler Academy, the institution created a page of disparagement on its website, defaming her and claiming that she had mental issues. I too have the ‘honour’ of featuring on such a page on the institution’s website, a rage reaction about the high ranking of my 2013 Blogpost, hoping that it would diminish the credibility of my 2013 Blogpost, which obviously has impacted on the credibility of the SA Butler Academy.

Ultimately Miss Lin appointed legal firm Dunsters Attorneys, and excellent advocate Adam Brink, for legal action. A year ago she and the legal team were granted 3 August 2023 as the court date. The SA Butler Academy started an interlocutor motion, requesting R500000 security for costs, possibly to persuade Miss Lin to withdraw her case, but this motion was rejected by the judge as she is regarded an Incola.

On 3 August 2023 an Agreement between Miss Lin and the defendants South African Butler Academy cc, Butler Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Butler Training (Pty) Ltd, Guild Recruitment (Pty) Ltd, Newton Hilton Cross, and Willem Adriaan Coetzer was made a Court Order (Case number 10430/2020):

1. The Defendants will repay to the Plaintiff the fee paid by her of USD 5200, at the exchange rate on the date of payment by her to the Defendants, plus the sum of R32 947, 62, plus interest on both sums at the prescribed rate from 30 April 2019.

2. The Plaintiff abandons any claim against the Defendants for damages flowing from the defendants’ unauthorised use of the Plaintiff’s image for publicity, and the violation of her dignity.

3. The plaintiff withdraws the complaint with the National Consumer Commission and the Information Regulator against the defendants.

4. The Defendants will pay the Plaintiffs costs on a party and party scale, subject to the following:

4.1. limiting the Plaintiff’s counsel’s costs with respect to appearance at the trial to those incurred for the hearing on 3 August 2023; and

4.2. Each party to pay their own costs reserved in the order of the Honourable Justice Meer of 24 February 2021; and

5. The parties will agree to publish the joint statement annexed hereto marked ‘A’ ‘

I took on the SA Butler Academy to also assist other aggrieved past students as well as future students to be protected against the misleading marketing of the institution’, she said. She is particularly concerned about protecting the rights and interests of female students, stating that not all students have other qualifications from reputable educational institutions as she has been fortunate to experience.

In the past four years of living here, waiting for the Court date and action, Ms Lin experienced the beautiful natural resources of our country, praising them, and expressed the hope that there would be better governance of them.

She thanked her legal team for their dedicated action in her case against the SA Butler Academy, her advocate being happy with the positive outcome.

She wishes her fellow 22 students well at the National Consumer Commission in their class action against the SA Butler Academy. Ms Lin is no longer part of this action.

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323

Twitter:@Ulmenstein

Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide, WhaleTales Blog

Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide @whaletalesblog @campsbayclean