I am puzzled. And worried. Does Jody have a brain injury or something? He just keeps repeating the same old statements, like someone who suffers from Organic Brain Syndrome after a head injury. When you keep repeating the same words without really understanding them, that could be a symptom called perseveration.
And Jody is certainly repeating the same old stuff about the opposition to his development coming from a small group of deviants.
For example, on the 27 August 2019, Jody said “the delay” to “his dream come true” was “perpetuated by only a few in the community” and that “a handful of residents refuse to see the economic value of the project to the community and are determined to stand in his way.”
Then on 2nd March 2020, Jody described us as a "fringe interest group" which is “going to great lengths … to further their own isolationist agenda”
And then again, on November 2nd 2020, Jody said “It is regrettable that a small group of people who claim to speak for the working class and first nations, are trying to block this project.”
So, one might be worried for Jody’s mental health because he is displaying a symptom like someone with a brain injury. But actually, one needn’t worry too much, because his reflex repetition of these claims has nothing to do with not understanding or with brain disease. In fact, he understands very well that we are not a small group. Indeed, we are close to 20 000 signatories to this petition and we are over 60 First Nation groups, Civics and NGOs who applied to HWC earlier this year to have the TRUP, in which the River Club is located, designated a Provincial Heritage Site.
We know that Jody knows this fact because he responded in a press statement after the public announcement of the Heritage grading application in December 2019. Our press release made it clear that there was widespread support for the application. Jody’s response again repeated the fiction on the 27 December 2019 that this was a “small group” with some agenda that was about attempting to block the development. But he couldn’t help notice the breadth of opposition to his development. In fact, there have beenover 180 objectors to his rezoning application. And the appellants to the DEADP environmental authorisation include bodies such as the South African Astronomical Observatory, Heritage Western Cape, the Cape Institute for Architects and the City of Cape Town Environmental Management Department not to mention many individuals, civics and NGOs. So, who is Jody kidding by saying a ‘small’ group of people?
No, this is not perseverations, it just plain propaganda. The more your repeat things which are not true, the more they will acquire a sense of being correct. He is doing it deliberately. Propaganda 101.
Just like the now all the more frequently repeated claim (Sept 29th 2020) that we are “people who claim to speak for the working class and poor are trying to block it.” As we pointed out, First Nation groups joined forces with the OCA and other civics and NGOs long ago and spoke for themselves at the December 2019 Press conference to call for TRUP to be declared a provincial heritage site. I didn’t notice anyone putting words into the mouth of the Goringhaicona, Cochoqua, Kai Korana and Aman first nation leaders. They were perfectly articulate is saying what they wanted – which is a park that respects Khoi heritage rather than development that allows its destruction.
What about the claim Jody makes that the OCA is attempting “to distort the truth” and that opponents to the development are people who “lie about what we are planning ... and have fabricated what we have said.”
Well, that’s rather odd because it was Jody who said in August 2019 that” complaints that his intended plans will mirror Canal Walk“ were “lies” and “fabrications” yet fast forward to September 2020 and what does the Chair of the MPT say in granting the rezoning application? David Daniels is quoted as favourably comparing the proposed development to Century City, the home of Canal Walk shopping mall. So, when we express concerns the development will be like Century City, we are fabricating but when David Daniels gushes positively and says the development will be like Century City, somehow that is fair comment?
You be the judge of who is dissembling or fabricating.
Moreover, the claim by Jody that any delay has “resulted in a huge financial loss for the company ” is just bizarre. He bought the land at bargain basement prices because it is situated in a flood plain. The fact that he claims to be spending millions just to maintain the land is his business choice and no reason to destroy heritage and trash the environment so he can get a humungous return on his bargain basement investment. He could have settled for developing the property as a park - which is what it should be and what the City's Environmental Management Department said in their comments on their application.
No, Jody’s mental health is not the issue here. It’s his propaganda that is showing.
We are not powerful financially. We do not have influential friends. We don’t have lots of money. We are just a Civic, elected by our community and representing our community. We have communities supporting us. We are supporting Khoi groups. They are supporting us. We will not be intimidated by propaganda, and neither should you. So, please continue to support us. Please share this petition with others who believe in justice, protection of the environment and respect for First Nation heritage so they can express their support as well.