It’s Knysna Keep’s one year anniversary. The Knysna Tourism AGM is also here this week. Will Tourism members continue to allow it’s CEO and Board from hiding information from the public? Will Tourism ever embrace the whole of Knysna?

It’s been a turbulent year for politics and economics. This past week, another 2 coffee shops closed. I heard that an engineering firm slipped under too. This is our lives.

Personally, it’s been a tough year mostly about survival. Keeping everything running with zero budget is a constant battle. How to keep spreading the truth? How to motivate people to think and stand up for themselves? The latter has been the biggest challenge. Some people approach me to fight their battles but are too weak to even post a comment on the website. You cannot help anyone who will not help them self. That’s a mantra that’s been running circles in my brain lately. Consequently, i intend spending less time on Knysna Keep and rather more time promoting Knysna through Love Knysna! I have great belief in truthful words, a respect for them when faced with adversity, but i also want to be hands on with projects this coming year.

Many troubles that we’ve discussed are still current so, regards Knysna Keep, i’ll be rewriting some of those for a broader, national market, hopefully gaining bigger media coverage. I’m also introducing the hottest topics via mp3 and CD for free download. Please download them, give them a good listen, and share!

THE TRUTH TALKS MP3s & CD
I realize that despite my many blogs, the majority of the population is not being reached because internet access is severely limited owing to poor finances and lack of education. As one attempt to overcome this, i’ve turned past blogs into audio files which you can download as individual mp3s or as a whole package (the first is 79 minutes long i.e. you can burn it to a single CD if you wish to make a copy for someone) – www.knysnakeep.org/the-truth-talks-walk-the-talk-cd-1.

GET THE TRUTH AT KNYSNA TOURISM’S AGM!
For a year, Knysna Tourism, the Knysna Tourism Board and the Knysna Municipality have refused to show details of Knysna Tourism’s budget. Not only is it the right of every Tourism member to know exactly who is getting what but the taxpayers right as well since R4 million of municipal money was allocated to Tourism last year… – www.knysnakeep.org/get-the-truth-at-knysna-tourism-2012-agm.

THE CYCLIST WHO DIED IN KNYSNA
I was thankful when Mike Wood wrote this blog about Joseph, the Malawian cyclist who was run over and killed last Friday. Too often, the personal aspect is overrun by the situation. I have great respect for Malawians i’ve worked with. They work damn hard, their primary goal to support their families. It’s enrages me that they have experienced xenophobia in Knysna. The fact that they seem to have taken over gardening in our town is not theft of jobs (as they’ve been accused of) but owed to their reliability and dedication. Importantly, at least the men i’ve known, they don’t subscribe to Knysna’s rampant alcohol addiction. This saga was more personal because my landlord’s gardener, Steven, is close family of dead Joseph. Last weekend, he cried when he told me what had happened. I may have only recently come to know him but by sheer coincidence i have known his uncle and cousin for almost 3 years and once hired his other uncle to work at a concert. Please read Mike Wood’s blog about the accident. I’m thankful that he’s offering another point of view – www.knysnakeep.org/the-cyclist-who-was-killed-in-knysna.

WALK THE TALK
Knysna is in trouble. Many of you were already suffering but the Recession has made it far worse. The cracks in our town are showing; empty shops, more beggars and the weight of depression that so many wear on their faces. During our period of need, the politicians have turned their backs on us. They don’t address important topics such as unemployment, food prices, homes being auctioned, crime and drugs. BUT they still earn their big salaries. Instead of getting angry, people have too often given into despair, some becoming isolated. Others point fingers of blame in the wrong directions. A primary reason why i started the Knysna KEEP was to seek truth in Knysna. Over the past year, i have written much about problems that the municipality and politicians will not talk about. I have criticized our “leaders” for using lies and fears to win elections. Read more at www.knysnakeep.org/walk-the-talk.

INSPIRATIONAL: THE BEST 3-MINUTE VIDEO YOU’LL EVER SEE
www.knysnakeep.org/inspirational-best-3-minute-video

Thank you.