For the families forced out of Richmond Park as long as 33 years ago, Atterbury’s development of Richmond Business Park is bringing new hope and the ability to invest in a brighter future. No-one has a clearer view of this than Caroline Davidson, the treasurer for the CPA committee, who was born in Richmond Park herself and sees members of the community in her office on a daily basis. “The first payment brought such relief, and I know there will be such joy when the community receives the second payment,” she says. “This development will change lives. I hear stories of gratitude like these every day in my office… ”
William and Muriel Jacobs were sweethearts at school back in the 70s, and married and started a family in Richmond before they were forced to move 30 years ago. Now greatgrandparents, they have lived and raised their family in the same house in Atlantis ever since then.
“I just want to thank the committee for all the hard work over so many years. The first payment, which we received a few months ago, helped my family so much; I could finally get to things that I couldn’t afford before, such as furnishing my home properly. It has been 20 long years of waiting and hoping, and struggling, and now there is so much joy in my heart!”
Johanna Hansen, has lived in Atlantis for 23 years, in the same house she and her late parents moved into after leaving Richmond Park. She has raised her daughter there.
“The first thing I did was to go down on my knees to thank the Lord, because the compensation came just at the right time. I could make a dream come true by doing something I thought I would never be able to do: I settled all my debts, I could help someone else in need, and I could even save a little. My brother always used to say that we shouldn’t give up, that we would get our money in the end, and although he isn’t alive anymore to experience this blessing, I’m grateful to the committee and to Atterbury for making this possible.”
Susan Coert was 17 when her family moved to Atlantis, and a year later when she married, she and her husband moved to Hermanus where he was from. She still lives there.
“The money came just at the right moment… it really was a dream come true. I have a two-bedroomed house that we bought back when we moved here and I could now buy a Wendy house for my daughter, who lives with me – everybody now has more space! The payment also made it possible for me to build a wall around my house, and there was money left so that I could make food parcels and share the blessing with others who have less. I am so grateful, and really want to thank the committee for their hard work.”
Yvonne Hendricks has lived in Atlantis for over 30 years, also in the same house she and her parents moved into after leaving Richmond. She never went to school, as she was the one child chosen to stay home and help her mother, a fact that the 73-year-old is very sad about, since she never learnt to read and write properly.
“I can only really write my name and surname, but I can’t even write the address of my home. I worked as a domestic worker and the people I worked for taught me to read a little bit… I didn’t live my life waiting for Richmond money, so this was a wonderful bonus. I could finally afford to buy headstones for my husband and my son, who have both passed away, and then I bought a new vacuum cleaner, fridge and stove for my home, and shared some of the money with my daughters and grandchildren. It has been a blessing.”
Joseph Baaidjies, from Atlantis:
“Thank you Atterbury… the money came at just the right time. It was like a light that went on in the dark. I used the first payment to redo my kitchen by installing new cupboards and tiles. I am so thankful.”
