From Bastion to Park Inn Newlands

Today marks the official opening of the Park Inn Newlands, a modern 122-room in a beautiful Cape Town suburb that also has a strong link to the local Deaf community.

Originally built as a school, the building that would become known as Bastion (of the Deaf) served the Deaf community (and housed the provincial offices of DeafSA) from 1993 until 2012. In September 2012, following 8-years of negotiations, the original building was demolished to make way for the new Park Inn Newlands.

However, what marked the end of an era also marked the beginning of a new one. The provincial offices of DeafSA can still be found at the corner of Hemlock & Thicket Roads in Newlands, adjacent to the Park Inn Newlands Hotel. In addition to this, approximately 30 percent of the hotel’s workforce are deaf, and deaf contractors were also used during the construction phase.

So while the Bastion building is now nothing more than memories and photo’s, the important role this address has played in the lives of the Deaf community continues.

Crazy Colin Competition Winners

DTV would like to extend our congratulations to all the winners in the Crazy Colin competition, and our thanks to everyone who entered. Don’t be too disappointed if you did not win because we are planning another great contest for 2015.

The final list of winners:

  1. Alicia Sewchuran – Pietermaritzburg
  2. Johan Pottas – Krugerdorp
  3. Zintle Melane – Westonaria
  4. Selina Mohlahlo – Mamelodi East
  5. Thivhani Sadiki – Wattville

Sean Allan’s Story – Coming Soon

In 1996 a young Sean Allan was arrested while travelling through Thailand and charged with drug trafficking.

He was sentenced to 15-years imprisonment in a Thai prison.

9-Years later, thanks to a royal pardon, he was released and returned to South Africa to rebuild his life.

Today, thanks to his commitment, and a lot of hard work, he is a successful entrepreneur.

Join DTV on Saturday, 10 January 2015, when Troy Panaino focuses his camera on Sean, who shares the harrowing details of his time in a Thai prison, along with the triumphs of returning to South Africa, and starting all over again.

Learn more about Sean, and how to avoid becoming an unwilling drug mule yourself, by viewing our slideshow here.

New Feature – Copy the Look

DTVs principle presenter, Candice Morgan, is always stylishly dressed thanks in part to her wardrobe being sponsored by Big Blue, and our new feature on the DTV website will now help you copy her look. Every 1-2 months we will present an assortment of her outfits, along with links to the Big Blue online store allowing you to buy any of the items regardless of where in South Africa you live.

About Big Blue

Big Blue started as a Pop-Up store in a flea market way back in 1986, and since then they have grown to 21 stores around the country, and an online store.

Big Blue has always been both environmentally and socially concious, using locally sourced fabrics where possible, along with recycled fabrics; in addition to this, Big Blue also supports local designers and crafters, and has recently started to implement energy efficient designs in their store layouts.

Big Blue is a Proudly South African company, and their brand has a strong sense of individuality and quirkiness that always translates into great clothing.

 

  1. V-Front Ties Top by Zadebe – in Lime
  2. Sonja Large Bead Necklace – in Lime (various colours available)
  3. Razor Back Dress by Gottalotaluv – in Lime (also available in Stone)
  4. Tinkerbell Dress by Smudj – in Navy
  5. Ritzy Belt by Big Blue – in Olive (various colours available)
  6. Sonja Small Bead Necklace – in Lime (various colours available)
  7. Lace Shell Top by Zadebe – in Black

  1. Zebra Stamp T-Shirt by Krag Drag
  2. Africa Target T-Shirt by Big Blue
  3. 3 Monkey T-Shirt by Big Blue
  4. Cheap Cheap T-Shirt by Krag Drag

Please note: all items listed above where available at the time of posting. As with any fashion items, there is a possibility that the item(s) you are interested in may no longer be available.

DTV is Looking for Love!

DTV is planning an insert that looks at relationships where one partner is hearing, and the other is deaf/hard of hearing.

We would like to hear from you if you are in such a relationship, and willing to be interviewed for TV. The only requirements are:

  • One partner in the relationship must be hearing, and the other must be deaf/hard of hearing.
  • You are both willing to be interviewed on camera, and featured in an upcoming episode of DTV.
  • You have been together for at least one year.
  • You live in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban or Cape Town.

Please note the following:

  • No compensation is offered for being interviewed and/or featured in the insert. This includes any expenses you may incur for transport, accommodation and other incidentals.
  • Submitting your details to us does not guarantee that you will be interviewed or featured in the insert.

If you meet the above requirements, and are willing to be interviewed, please submit your details to us using this form.  Submit your story now, if you haven’t already done so.

If you don’t meet the requirements, please consider helping us out by sharing this article with your friends or family who do meet the requirements, and might be interested in being featured.

Centre for Deaf Studies 15th Anniversary

Candice Morgan presents Professor Claudine Storbeck from the Centre for Deaf Studies with a birthday cake on behalf of DTV, to congratulate the Centre on its remarkable achievements over the past 15 years – which have included training over 952 teachers of the Deaf, supporting over 1200 Deaf infants and being named a “Centre of Excellence” within this highly specialized field in South Africa.

From left to right: Wits Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Habib, Candice Morgan, Thabo Nthatlo, Professor Claudine Storbeck, Professor Jean Baxen and Professor Tawane Kupe

World Diabetes Day 2014

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is an official United Nations Day, and is celebrated every year on 14 November, in more than 160 countries. The purpose of the campaign is not only to keep diabetes in the public spotlight, but also to raise awareness, and draw attention to critical issues relating to diabetes.

The campaign is attached to a new theme every three years, with the latest theme (from 2014 to 2016) being “Healthy Living and Diabetes”.

Aside from local events in your area, you can help raise awareness of diabetes (and World Diabetes Day), by using the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) new WDD Selfie app – use the app to take a selfie, position the blue circle wherever you want to (it is the global symbol for diabetes), and share it on the WDD pages, and across your own social network profiles. You can find the app on the iOS (Apple) and Google (Android) App stores, or by following this link.

The infographics below provide additional information regarding diabetes, and you can also visit the IDF website for more information.

Did you know?

If diabetes were a country, it would be the third most populated country in the world.

 

 

 

15th Anniversary – Wits Centre for Deaf Studies

From the Wits Media Release:

A tenacious spirit seeing to the needs of Deaf education has led to a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind centre studying the needs of an often marginalised community.

The Centre for Deaf Studies at Wits, a pioneer in Deaf education, turned 15 this year. Under the strong leadership of Professor Claudine Störbeck, who started the Centre, it has become a leader on the African continent, specialising in Teacher Education in Deaf Education, Bilingual Education and how it is implemented in the new South African Sign Language Curriculum in 2015 as well as the much neglected field of early intervention for families and their Deaf infants.

The Centre celebrated Deaf Awareness Month in September with various events, while the 15-year celebration takes place this week, coinciding with the launch of a coffee table book detailing the history of the Centre and Deaf education at Wits as well as the celebration of Deaf South African heroes and Centre for Deaf Studies alumni, both young and old.

At the launch and 15-year celebration, the Centre will also honour four South Africans who have been instrumental in advancing Deaf education and the Deaf community in South Africa. Previous recipients of our awards have included the late Professor Phillip Tobias, who brought the first Deaf student to Wits and mentored him.

Recipients of the awards will receive a moulded and bronzed “I love you” sign mounted on a wooden stand – a unique addition to any mantelpiece.

United Nations Day 2014

Today is United Nations Day, commemorating the entry into force of the Charter of the United Nations.

The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 to promote international co-operation, and to prevent conflicts on the scale of the World Wars. The United Nations has grown from 51 member states at its founding, to 193 member states currently, and its mission has grown beyond preserving world peace. The United Nations was not the first organisation that sought to regulate conflicts between nations, but it is the longest running, and also represents a far greater number of nations and people than any of the earlier organisations.

In 1948, the General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which serves more as a common standard of achievement for all nations than a legally binding document. Nonetheless, the United Nations continues to focus extensively on

promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion

In December 2006, the landmark Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the General Assembly, with South Africa being one of the first nations to sign the document in March 2007. The Convention has more than 30 articles that cover the specific rights of persons with disabilities, which all member states are expected to adhere to. These include rights such as (the full document can be viewed on the United Nations website)

  • As a change of perceptions is essential to improve the situation of persons with disabilities, ratifying countries are to combat stereotypes and prejudices and promote awareness of the capabilities of persons with disabilities (Article 8).
  • Countries are to guarantee that persons with disabilities enjoy their inherent right to life on an equal basis with others (Article 10), ensure the equal rights and advancement of women and girls with disabilities (Article 6) and protect children with disabilities (Article 7).
  • On the fundamental issue of accessibility (Article 9), the Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and services, and information and communications technologies.
  • Countries are to promote access to information by providing information intended for the general public in accessible formats and technologies, by facilitating the use of Braille, sign language and other forms of communication and by encouraging the media and Internet providers to make on-line information available in accessible formats (Article 21).

Some people questioned the need for a separate convention for persons with disabilities, and the United Nations addresses these questions in the FAQ on their website, stating, amongst others that

The rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in a perfect world, would be enough to protect everyone. But in practice certain groups, such as women, children and refugees have fared far worse than other groups and international conventions are in place to protect and promote the human rights of these groups. Similarly, the 650 million people in the world living with disabilities—about 10 per cent of the world’s population—lack the opportunities of the mainstream population. They encounter a myriad of physical and social obstacles that:

  • Prevent them from receiving an education;

  • Prevent them from getting jobs, even when they are well qualified;

  • Prevent them from accessing information;

  • Prevent them from obtaining proper health care;

  • Prevent them from getting around;

  • Prevent them from “fitting in” and being accepted.

The Convention does not create any new rights or entitlements for persons with disabilities, but instead it expresses existing rights in ways that address the specific needs of persons with disabilities.

Celebrate United Nations Day by

  • Enjoying the rights afforded you by its declarations and conventions, and those enshrined in our own Constitution.
  • Learning more about the United Nations, and what they do.
  • Sharing this with others.

Competition Time

In the last few episodes you might have noticed someone who keeps showing up around Candice, and now his face even starts showing up randomly throughout each episode! Count how many times you see Crazy Colin’s face appear in each episode, then email your answer to

or SMS to

082 343 6321

If yours is the first correct entry received you will win a fantastic prize courtesy of SABC 3 and DTV. Don’t worry if you missed him in yesterday’s episode, Crazy Colin will be showing up again over the next four weeks, with a prize to be one each time.

So make sure you don’t miss a single episode of DTV.