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FinalMinutes

PublicEdition

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Contents

1 WELCOME 5

2 INTRODUCTIONSANDATTENDANCE 5

3 APOLOGIESANDGREETINGS 52016/1MINUTE—APOLOGIESANDGREETINGS 6

4 TESTIMONIES 84.1 SHELAGHWILLET 84.2 IAINWILLIAMGRAYER 124.3 RONALDWATTS 144.4 DOREENDOWD,1941-2015 18

5 FINANCIALREPORTS 205.1 C&SAYMTREASURER’SREPORT&BUDGET 20

2016/2MINUTE—C&SAYMTREASURER’SREPORT 212016/3MINUTE—C&SAYMPROPOSEDBUDGET 21

5.2 ECTFREPORTFORYMMAY2016 222016/4MINUTE—ECTFANDPJDF 24

5.3 COMPASSIONFUNDREPORTTOYM2016 262016/5MINUTE—COMPASSIONFUND 26

5.4 CHRISTINEAGARQUAKERTRUSTFUNDREPORTFORYM2016 272016/6MINUTE—CHRISTINEAGARQUAKERTRUST 27

5.5 FRIENDSHUNGERFUND 282016/7MINUTE—FRIENDS’HUNGERFUND 28

5.6 REPORTINGONFINANCES 292016/8MINUTE—REPORTINGONFINANCES 29

6 REPORTSOFLOCALMEETINGS 306.1 BOTSWANA 30

2016/9MINUTE—BOTSWANA 306.2 BULAWAYO 31

2016/10MINUTE—BULAWAYO 346.3 CAPEEASTERNREGIONALMEETING 346.4 CAPEWESTERNMONTHLYMEETING 37

2016/11MINUTE—CWMM 396.5 HARAREMONTHLYMEETING 40

2016/12MINUTE—HARARE 416.6 JOHANNESBURGMONTHLYMEETING 41

2016/13MINUTE—JMM 436.7 KWAZULU-NATALMONTHLYMEETING 44

2016/14MINUTE—KZN 45

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6.8 LESOTHOALLOWEDMEETING 452016/15MINUTE—LAM 46

6.9 NAMIBIAALLOWEDMEETING 462016/16MINUTE—NAM 48

6.10 PRETORIAWORSHIPGROUP 492016/17MINUTE—PWG 522016/18MINUTE—ALLMEETINGS 52

7 REPORTOFTHECLERKSOFYEARLYMEETING–2015/2016 532016/19MINUTE—C&SAYMCLERKS’REPORT 57

8 NOMINATIONS 588.1 NOMINATIONSFROMMYRM+YMNOMINATIONS 58

2016/20MINUTE—NOMINATIONS 598.2 CURRENTOFFICEHOLDERS 59

9 QUAKERSANDCURRENTEVENTSINSOUTHERNAFRICA 622016/21MINUTE— 63QUAKERSANDCURRENTEVENTS 63

10 REPORTBYFRIENDSOFC&SAYMWHOATTENDEDTHEFWCCPLENARYMEETINGINPISAC,PERUTUESDAY19–WEDNESDAY27JANUARY2016 64

10.1 EPILOGUEBYJUSTINELIMPITLAWGIVENONMONDAYJANUARY25ASPARTOFTHEFWCCPLENARYMEETING 69

10.2 GENERALSECRETARY’SREFLECTIONONTHEWORLDPLENARYMEETINGINPISAC,PERU,JANUARY19–29,2016 71

10.3 EPISTLEFROM2016FRIENDSWORLDCOMMITTEEFORCONSULTATIONWORLDPLENARY(INTERNATIONALREPRESENTATIVESMEETING) 732016/22MINUTE—FWCCEPISTLE 75

10.4 MINUTEOFREPORTFROMFWCCAFRICASECTIONSECRETARYCHURCHILLMALIMO 75

11 OTHERREPORTS 7611.1 FRIENDSOFHLEKWENI 76

2016/23MINUTE—FRIENDSOFHLEKWENI 802016/24MINUTE—HLEKWENIREPORT 83

11.2 QUAKERPEACECENTRE(QPC) 832016/25MINUTE—QUAKERPEACECENTRE 85

11.3 SOUTHAFRICANCOUNCILOFCHURCHES(SACC)REPORT 8511.4 SAFCEI:SOUTHERNAFRICANFAITHCOMMUNITIESENVIRONMENTINSTITUTE 87

2016/26MINUTE—SAFCEI 8711.5 WCRLF:WESTERNCAPERELIGIOUSLEADERSFORUM 8811.6 REPORTONTHEWORKOFPHOENIXZULULAND,2015-16 88

2016/27MINUTE—PHOENIX 8911.7 ZIMBABWEFOODRELIEFACTION(ZFRA)UPDATEASOFLATEJANUARY2016 89

2016/28MINUTE—ZFRA 9111.8 ADVOCACYREPORTTOC&SAYM2016 92

2016/29MINUTE—ADVOCACY 93

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11.9 COMMUNICATIONSCLUSTERREPORTTO2016C&SAYM 932016/30MINUTE—COMMUNICATIONSCLUSTER 101

11.10C&SAYMHANDBOOK2016 1012016/31MINUTE—HANDBOOK 101

12 PROPOSALS/MINUTESFROMTHEMEETINGS 10212.1 PRETORIAWORSHIPGROUPTOBECOMEAMONTHLYMEETING 102

2016/32MINUTE—PWGBECOMINGPMM 10212.2 LOGOFORC&SAYM 102

2016/33MINUTE—LOGO 10212.3 NEXTMYRMANDYM 103

2016/34MINUTE—MYRMANDNEXTYM 103

13 MATTERSARISINGFROMYM 10313.1 SUMMERSCHOOLREPORT 103

REPORTONSUMMERSCHOOLATCSAYM2016ATSTAUGUSTINE’S 103ANNEXURE 106

13.2 SIGREPORT 108THEREWERESIXSIGS 1082016/35MINUTE—SIG 108

13.3 SEVEN-AND15-MINUTETALKSREPORT 1097-AND15-MINUTETALKS 109ANNEXURE:PHILLEMONTAKARINDWACHIRIMAMBOWA 109

13.4 YOUNGFRIENDSREPORT,INCLUDINGOFTHEPROPOSEDCAMP 111C&SAYMYOUNGFRIENDSREPORT2016 111

13.5 CHILDREN’SREPORT 112CHILDREN’SREPORTTOC&SAYM2016 112

13.6 PROPOSEDRENAMINGOFC&SAYM 1122016/36PROPOSEDMINUTEONQUAKERNAMECHANGE 1122016/37MINUTEONTHEABOVEPROPOSAL 114

13.7 EPISTLE 114CentralandSouthernAfricaYearlymeetingStAugustines’sPriory,Modderpoort,SouthAfrica,27April–3May2016 114

13.8 OTHERMATTERSARISING 1162016/38MINUTE—OTHERMATTERSARISING 116

14 EVALUATIONREPORT—YEARLYMEETING2016 11814.1 WHATILEARNTFROMYM 11814.2 WHATILIKEDATYM 11814.3 WHATIDIDN'TLIKEATYM 11914.4 THEFACILITATORS(CLERKS) 12014.5 THEPROGRAMMECOULDBEIMPROVEDBY… 12014.6 ISTILLNEED… 12014.7 ANYFURTHERCOMMENTS 12014.8 CONCLUSION 121

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1 Welcome

2 Introductionsandattendance

3 ApologiesandGreetings

GREETINGSFROMNEWMEXICO

DearFriends

WeareveryconsciousofyouallpreparingandperhapsalreadystartingtotraveltoYearly

MeetingandareholdingyouintheLight.

WelookbackwithdeepthanksovermanyYearlyMeetingsthatwehavebeenpartofand

knowhowimportantit isforSouthernAfricanFriendstogathertoseekLightandknow

thepresenceoftheSpiritwhichgivesuslifeandmeaning.Mayyouenjoythefellowship

and find new strength to face the complexities of the challenges of living in what are

oftendarktimes.

WeareactivelyinvolvedinAlbuquerqueMonthlyMeetingwhichisalargeMeetingwith

concern for the homeless of the city, the climate of hate which has blown up in the

electioncampaignsandmattersofjustice,peaceandhumanrights.

WelookforwardtoreadingtheproceedingsofC&SAYMandespeciallytheRichardGush

Lecture.

Withloveandprayers,

RichardandPushpaKnottenbelt

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2016/1MINUTE—APOLOGIESANDGREETINGS

GREETINGSFROMJOHNANDKELITHASCHMID

23April2016

StAugustine'sisdeartoourhearts.Backin2000itwaswhereweattended

our firstYearlyMeeting inSouthernAfrica—andwehaven'tmissedone

since.Soit iswithregretthatwecan'tpayareturnvisitthisyearandwe

shallmissnotonlythevenuebutsomanyofourdearFriends.

Earlier this yearKelithahada very trickyoperationonher spineand still

needs nursing care, but we hope her mobility will be fully restored in

anothermonthortwo.

Withwarmgreetingstoyouall,

John&Kelitha

GREETINGSFROMOVERSEASMEETINGS:

PenelopeCumminsfromBritainYearlyMeetinghassentwarmgreetings.

FWCC

This card bringswarmgreetings from the FWCC Europe andMiddle East

SectionExecutivetofriendsatCentralandSouthernAfricaYearlyMeeting.

LeeTaylor,SueMartin

BlueIdolLocalQuakerMeeting

DearFriends,

GreetingsfromushereinWestSussex!

Our Friend Kim Hope intends to travel in South Africa during April, and

planstoattendCentralandSouthernAfricanYearlyMeeting.

Through Kimwe send you our greetings. Thoughwe are separated by a

greatdistance,weareenheartenedbyyourwitnesswhich remindsusof

ourcommonexperienceasFriends.

When Kim returns, we shall be eager to learn from her more of your

activitiesandconcerns,and to share through themyour insights into the

livingtestimoniesofQuakerstoday.

Nomore,butourlove.

Inpeace,

T.RogerS.WilsonClerk

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WestWealdAreaMeeting

DearFriends,

OnbehalfofWestWealdAreaMeetinginS.E.England,whereKimHopeis

aMember, Isendgreetingstoyou inCentralandSouthernAfricanYearly

Meeting.

ItiswonderfultoknowthatthereareFriendsinsomanypartsoftheworld

thatsharesomuchofourQuakervalues.

IhopeKimwillbeabletotellusallaboutyourconcernsandactionsupon

herreturn.

Yoursinfriendship,

RogerBaker

(ClerkWWAM.)

LutonandLeightonAreaMeeting

ToFriendsinCentralandSouthernAfricaYearlyMeeting

LetterofGreeting

DearFriends,

This letter comes to you with warm greetings from Luton and Leighton

AreaMeetingwhichispartofBritainYearlyMeeting.

It is brought to you by four Friends fromMilton Keynes Local Meeting:

ColinBartlett,David Jones,DonRoweand LeeTaylor.Wehope theywill

benefitfromtheseopportunitiestomeet,talkandworshipwithFriendsin

Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting, thereby deepening their

spirituallifeandthatofusall.

Welookforwardtohearingabouttheirexperiencesandthelifeandspirit

ofyourYearlyMeetingontheirreturn.

Wecommendthemtoyourlovingcare.

Withbestwishes,

HelenOsborn

LutonandLeightonAreaMeetingClerk

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APOLOGIES

BulawayoMM

AnaniasKhupe

CWMM

BridgetNomondeScoble,GrahamThomas

HMM

BenoniaNyakuwanikwa

JMM

DuduzileMtshazo, EmilyMnisi,Wendy Landau, Elizabeth Roper, Thomas

Ndayiragije,JenniferKinghorn,AlexKuhn,TebogoMoteane

KZN

DuduDlamini,JoanKerchhoff

PWG

NancyFee,Amanda&JeremyGibberdandchildren

4 Testimonies

4.1 ShelaghWilletTestimony to the Grace of God as shown in the life of

ShelaghMarjorieWillet1931–2015

In2013ShelaghgavetheRichardGushMemorialLecture

atCentralandSouthernAfricaYearlyMeeting(C&SAYM).

Her subject was ‘Reverence for life’ and she ended the

lecture with the following lines from a poem by the

AmericanQuaker,KennethBoulding,whichshedescribed

asa“athrillingevocationofthebeautyoftheearth”

“Iplunge,shouting,inthefecundtide

Ofvastcreation;lavemyselfinlight.”

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Forallwhoknewher,Shelaghdidindeed‘lave’herselfinlight,alightwhichilluminatedherentire

beingandwhichshonethroughinherunfailingrespectandcompassionforothers.Theseincluded

notonlyhermanyfriends,neighboursandcolleaguesbutalsoallthosesufferingfromoppression

inneighbouringregionsandespeciallythoseforcedtofleewhosoughtsanctuaryinBotswana.

Anonlychild,Shelaghwasbornon1stDecember1931onafamilyfarmnearPolokwane.Shewas

profoundlyaffectedbytheearlydeathofherfather,soonaftersheleftschool,confidinglaterthat

shefeltanxiousandaloneuntilsheexperiencedagreatsenseofcertaintyandreliefthatGodwas

with her, bearing her up. Shelagh studied at the University of theWitwatersrand, majoring in

AfrikaansandSocialAnthropology, followedbya teacher trainingcourse.By the late1950s she

hadbecomeincreasinglydisenchantedwithwhiteSouthAfricansocietyandtookanappointment

atMorijaGirls’School inBasutoland,nowLesotho.Therewasabrief returnto Johannesburg in

theearly1960stotakeaDiplomainLibrarianship,forwhichherdissertationwasTheBushman:a

select bibliography 1652–1962. In 1965, she returned to Lesotho as Deputy Librarian at the

UniversityofBasutoland,BechuanalandandSwaziland,atitsRomacampus.

Shelagh had first become aware of Quakers during this period at a work camp held at the

ecumenical and multiracial Wilgespruit Fellowship Centre on the outskirts of Johannesburg. In

LesothoshemetthreerecentarrivalswhohadbeenattendersatQuakermeetings.Theystarted

meetingregularly forQuakerworship.Theirnumber increasedtosixwhenhermotherKathleen

andabirthright friend fromEnglandarrived. Sobeganwhatbecame LesothoAllowedMeeting.

Shelagh’s application for membership of the Religious Society of Friends was considered by

TransvaalMonthlyMeetingandshewasadmittedintomembershiparound1967.

At Roma, Shelagh worked on the Boleswa Collection (an acronym from newly independent

Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland). She then spent several years with her fellow academic, David

Ambrose, working on a comprehensive annotated bibliography of Lesotho for a World

Bibliographic Series. When the University opened new campuses in Botswana and Swaziland,

ShelaghmovedtobecomeheadlibrarianatwhateventuallybecametheUniversityofBotswana

(UB).SheandKathleenmovedtoGaborone in1971.Oncethere,ShelaghstartedanewQuaker

meetingwhich,inthenextdecade,benefitedfromthearrivalofseveralAmericanQuakerfamilies.

Botswanawastobeherhomefortherestofherlifeandshetookcitizenshipassoonasshecould.

ShelaghalwaysregardedherselfasanordinaryMotswanaandrefusedtousetheprivilegesofa

whitecitizen,forinstancewhenshewenttohospital.Sadly,Kathleensuccumbedtoaprolonged

illness and her death in 1974 meant a great loss of family intimacy and emotional support in

Shelagh’slife.

ForShelagh,theinhumanityofapartheidwasneverfaraway,andthewayshewasaffectedbyitis

expressedmovinglyinoneofherpoemsofthetimewhichbegins

AllmylifeI’veheardyousinging.Allmylife

ThebeautyofyourvoicesHasbrokenmyheart

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AllmylifeIhavebeenhearingyourvoicesandcrying

AllmylifeI’vebeenhearingBassvoicesdeepasthunder

Women’shigh-pitchedsweetnessThrillingmetothecore.Andalways,inthatmoment

Youarenaked,Defenceless,withthepainrevealed,

Thehurt.AllmylifeI’vebeenfeelingyourtorment

TheendlessburdenofindignityAllthereinyoursinging

ThebitternessofsubjectionFrustrationandpassionateresentment.

ThiscompassionfortheoppressedfoundanopportunitywhichprofoundlychangedShelagh’slife.

Bythemid-1970sthousandsofrefugeeswerearrivingfromthesurroundingstates,beinghoused

in large camps in the north and east of the country. Butmany needed to be in Gaborone for

official and educational purposes. The small Quaker Meeting’s concern for their welfare, and

especially the shortage of accommodation, prompted Shelagh to contact Quaker Peace and

Service (QPS) inLondonforhelp inassessingtheviabilityofestablishingasmall refugeecentre.

ThisresultedinasmallhousesharedbyShelaghandelevenrefugees,butfairlysoonplanswerein

handtoconstructanewcentrejustoutsideGaboronetoaccommodateaninitialthirtyrefugees.

Throughout thisperiod, thewillingnessof theBotswanaGovernmentandpeople toacceptand

assistrefugeeswascrucial.ShelaghwasadeptatnegotiatingwithBatswanaofficialsatall levels,

withNGOs,withtheBotswanachurchesandwiththeUNHCR.Shelaghresignedfromhersecure

UniversitypostandwasappointedasaQPSvolunteermanagerwithamuch-reducedincomeand

alimitedtermcontract.

Shelagh’s short book,Voices of Kagisong, completed just before her death, illustrates how she

endeavouredtoeasethepassage,inaverypersonalway,ofthosewhoseliveshadbeendisrupted

byconflict.ExtractsfromthenumerouslettersShelaghreceivedfromgratefulrefugeesshowhow

life-changing her presence and support had been. At Kagisong they received not only physical

sustenanceandpracticalhelpbutalsoShelagh’ssympathetic,patient,non-judgemental,listening

friendship,andawarmthofcommunityseldomfoundinsuchcentres.

Shelaghwasnotanaturaladministrator,however,andwassucceededasmanagerin1985byJohn

Schmid. She returned towork atUBbut continued to live at Kagisong and to assist Johnmore

informally as a friend and counsellor for the refugees. When John’s contract ended in 1988,

Shelaghreturnedafterashortgaptobemanageroncemore.

Theseweretenseyearspolitically.ShelaghwasdeclaredpersonanongratabySouthAfricaand

KagisongwasalwaysundersurveillancebythespiesoftheSouthAfricanauthoritiesasapotential

harbouringcentre forANCmembers.AnattackbySouthAfricanDefenceForces inGaborone in

1985, in which 12 people (several quite innocent) were killed, was a particularly worrying and

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distressing incident. TheQuakers andMennonitesworked together to physically rebuild oneof

thehouseswhichbelongedtoaMotswanawidow.Thegeneralpopulacegavegenerouslytothis

project.

Kagisong alsobecame themeetingplace forQuakers inBotswana. Therewere always refugees

who attended meeting for worship. In addition to her long-term resident friends, these years

introducedShelaghtoastreamofinternationalvisitors,voluntaryhelpersandpaidworkers,with

manyofwhomsheformeddeepandlong-lastingfriendships.Shewasagoodcorrespondentand

whenshewaseventuallyallowedentrytoSouthAfricaafterthedownfalloftheapartheidregime,

sherenewedcontactwithfriendsfromthepastinthatcountry.

TheKagisongproject expandedand continueduntil 1996when theneed for this typeof short-

termaccommodationhadhappilyfallenaway.Kagisongbecamealow-budgetconferencecentre.

The original founding spirit re-emerged in the form of Botswana’s first shelter for victims of

domesticviolence, funded inpart fromtheconferencecentre,and inwhichShelaghonceagain

becamedeeply involved.Shelaghhadcommitted18yearsofher lifetorefugeeactivities,which

represented amajor step away from her profession as a librarian. She returned subsequently,

however, to her interest in the marginalised Khoe and San group in co-editing an annotated

bibliography which was published in 2002. In doing so, Shelagh coped professionally with the

digitalelectronicage,despiteaninnatepropensitytoalienatemachineryofalldescriptions!

Shelagh’sdeepQuakerfaithunderpinnedherlifeofservice.Shewasaconsistentelementinthe

vicissitudes of Botswana Monthly Meeting, whose attendance fluctuated over the years. In

MeetingsforWorshipherministriescamefromadeep,groundedspirituality.Hersteady, loving

presenceandsenseofhumouratMeetingwillbemissed.SheservedasMonthlyMeetingclerk,

relished the fellowship at the annual gatherings of Central & Southern Africa Yearly Meeting,

contributedtoSouthernAfricaQuakerNews,attendedtheFWCCtriennialconferenceinKenyain

1991,andspentatermatWoodbrookeQuakerStudyCentreinEngland.Itwassaidofherwell-

researched,thoughtfulandthought-provokingRichardGushlecturethatittouchedtheheartsof

manyFriends inSouthernAfricaandgalvanised theSociety to takeup issuesof climate change

and the just, sustainable use of the earth’s resources in a more focused and comprehensive

manner.

Shelaghwas never in robust health, suffering from high blood pressure, but her vegetarianism

heldherupeveninlateryearswhenherhearingandgeneralhealthdiminished.Herhomefrom

1995wasasmallbungalowoutsideGabanewhereshelivedwithherdogs,catsandoccasionally

chickens, and fromwhere she continued to welcome people and provide a home for those in

need. She createdother families after she lost her own: refugees, colleagues, friends and their

children. Finally, a young student whose family came from Zimbabwe whom she called her

‘granddaughter’livedwithherforherlastfewyears.Whenitwaswithinherpowers,sheseldom

refusedarequestforhelp,includingfinancialhelp,whichoccasionallycausedexasperationamong

somefriendsatthepossibilitythathergenerositywastakenadvantageof.

Throughout her life, Shelagh was open and welcoming, intelligent, gracious, warm hearted,

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cheerful in outlook, eminently approachable and an easy communicator, a woman of great

integrity and selfless empathy, who listened, understood, and inspired. As one Friend put it,

“Quietandgentle,yetsteadfast”,shemadeyoufeelthatyouwereespeciallyimportant.Shewill

be rememberedwith gladnessby allwhomether,withdeepaffectionby thosewhowereher

friends,andadeeperlove,perhaps,byherclosestfriends.Herdepthofpracticalcompassionand

willingnesstoactoutherconcernswereanexampletoallofus.

ThistestimonybeganwithtwolinesfromapoemusedbyShelaghinherRichardGushLecture.Let

itendwiththelineswhichfollowedandwithwhichsheconcludedherlecture:

SeekfirsttheKingdom—forthyjoysaredim

UntilthoufindestallthingsnewinHim.

The inward Light of the Spirit is the very essence ofQuaker belief, and Shelagh, as one Friend

wrote, “Wasagreat light–and Iwill findshe is stillwithus”.Wegive thanks for theprofound

privilegeofhavingknownher.

ChrisandRoyLovegavetheoraltestimony.

4.2 IainWilliamGrayerIainwasborninSouthport,Englandonthe21stSeptember1936toJohnWalterGrayerandElsie

AnnieWright.IainattendedAckworthSchool(1947–1954)wherehisfatherwasateacher.

ForhisNationalServiceheworkedwiththeFriends’AmbulanceServiceinSicilyasaconscientious

objector.

In1956hebeganhisapprenticetrainingasajuniorengineeratAssociatedElectricalIndustries,in

Rugby,England. In1960hemoved toScotland toworkwithBrucePeeblesEngineerswherehe

stayedforeightyears.

On 3 August 1968, hemarriedMargaret Elliot Anderson and almost immediately thereafter he

tooktheopportunitytoimmigratetoSouthAfrica.HereheworkedforGECMachinesuntil1980.

In1980hestartedworkwithABBIndustrywhereheremaineduntilhisretirementin2007.

His work as an Electrical Engineer spanned 51 years and was a

majorpartofhislifebuthehardlyeverspokeofitoutsideofwork.

He designed the largest synchronous motor ever built in South

Africa. He was regarded as a leading expert in the field of large

electricmotordesign,andworkcolleaguesspokeveryhighlyofhis

knowledge,skills,experienceandempathetichelpfulnature.They

saw him as a very special man with a cheerful personality,

optimismandcuriosityabout life.Hewasamanofgreatenergy:

physically, intellectually and artistically and hewas not someone

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wholetproblemsbuildup;hetackledthemimmediately. Iainhadawiderangeof interestsand

hisengineeringskillsstretchedwellbeyondhisworkplace.

Someofhisdaughters’happiestmemoriesareofswimmingwithIainintheirpoolafterhecame

homefromwork.

Iainalsolovedtowalk,hikeandclimb.Inhisyoungerdayshedidsomemajormountaineeringin

the Alps, in the Lake District, in the Cuillin Hills of Skye, in the Scottish Highlands, and in the

Drakensberg. In Benoni the family often walked down to the local dam or around the bird

sanctuarytogethertowatchthesunsetoverthewater.

Iain’sothermajorpassionwasclassicalmusicwhichhebothplayedandlistenedto.OnSaturday

mornings,attheageof40+,hestartedviolinlessons.Hisdaughterswouldhearhimpracticinghis

violin after theywent to bed. The family regularly attended symphony and chamber orchestra

concertsattheStateTheatre,LinderAuditorium,orattheWitsGreatHall.Hewasamemberof

the JohannesburgSymphonyOrchestra forapproximately35yearsand thesame for the Jewish

GuildOrchestra.WhateverIaindid,hedidwithcare,lovingdevotionandunshakableloyalty.

He could sit for hours outside in the still night air or watch a thunderstorm pass in deep

contemplativesilence.

HewasfirmlyrootedinhisQuakerheritage.HisstillnessofSpirit,hisabilitytomeditateandtobe

inthemomentgavehimgreatstrength,greatcompassionandgreathumanity.

Hehadaprofoundsenseofseeingallhemetasequalsworthyofrespect.Hewasapacifistanda

peacemaker.Heabhorredviolenceandwarfare. In theUKhewasa conscientiousobjectorand

chosevoluntarynon-militaryserviceasameansofbuildingpeaceanddevelopment,workingon

ambulancesandbuildingroadsinSicily.

Hewasahighlymoralman.Hebelievedthatourownsecurityisnotensuredbyarmingourselves

andbuildinghighwallswithrazorwire,butbyeconomicjusticeandbuildingstrongcommunities.

His generosity knew no bounds. He invested in the education of those he came to knowwho

neededassistance.Hegaveeasilyandwithgreatlove,inservice,intimeandinmoney.

Hisconsistentand loyalservice to JohannesburgMeetingwas invaluable,quietbutassolidasa

rock. He was a regular attender at Meeting for Worship. He rarely if ever ministered and on

Sundaymornings,yearinandyearout,wasoftenthefirstpersontoenterQuakerHouseMeeting

Room.HeservedasTreasurer,wherehismeticulousrecordkeepingwasofgreatvaluetoFriends.

He also served with diligence on the Premises Committee where his engineering skills and

methodicalapproachtoanyproblemsweregreatlyprized.

Heissurvivedbyhistwodaughtersandthreegrand-daughtersfromhismarriagetoMargaretand

byhiswife,Saskia,andtheirtwochildren.

RoryShortgavetheoraltestimony.

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4.3 RonaldWattsThanksgivingfortheGraceofGodasshowninthelifeofour

Friend,RonaldWatts,1930 –2015

EdwardRonaldWattswasborninBournvilleon15thFebruary1930,

the youngest of three boys. Janet Clark (nee Taylor), his

grandmother,wasamuch-lovedsisterofElizabethCadbury,andhis

father, Harold, worked at the Cadbury’s factory in personnel.

AccordingtoRonald,thepolicywastoallowworkerstotakehome

asmuchchocolateas theywanted,knowing that theywouldsoon

get sick of it. Marjorie, Ronald’s mother, loved leaving Cadbury’s

chocolateunderhergrandchildren’spillowswhentheyvisited.She

was consequently known as ‘Chocolate Granny’. Ronald enjoyed his Cadbury connections, and

from babyhoodwas a regular at Boxing Day gatherings of relatives atWinds Point, one of the

Cadbury’shomesinMalvern.Hewassofamiliarwiththeroutethatevenafterastrokethatmade

himblind,heknewwhenawrongturnwastaken.

HarolddiedunexpectedlyonholidayinMentone(RonwouldpronounceitinanItalianaccent,as

it hadoncebelonged to Italy),whichwasa favouriteholidaydestination for ElizabethCadbury.

This was particularly poignant, as Ron had been looking forward to living with him in Reading

whilst studying for his undergraduate degree in Agriculture. Hismother died suddenly in 1967

whentheWattsfamilywereonholidayinMombasa,andhedidn’thearthenewsuntilafterthe

funeral.

MargueriterecentlytoldRonnieaboutaphotoshe’dfoundofhimwithhisbrothersandparents,

posinginformallyforthecameraintheBournvillehouse.Ashislanguagewaslimitedbythestroke

hesaidratheralarminglythathewas‘bleeding’.Whenaskedifhemeantitwasapainfulmemory

hesaid‘yes’.Hemissedhisfamilywhenawayfromhome,andconsequentlykeptupaformidable

correspondencewhenworkinginAfrica.

BecauseofconcernsaboutBirminghambeingbombedatthebeginningoftheWar,Ronaldjoined

hisbrothersRichardandJoshuaatSidcot,aQuakerschoolinSomerset,atthetenderageofnine.

Sidcot becamea home for himas he sometimesdidn’t get back toBirmingham for a year at a

time. Lifelong friendships were forged there, including Kendall Clark, Kurt Strauss andWilliam

Stanton.Hewasveryfondofschool,recountingstoriesofcollectingbatswhilstcavingandletting

them go in the subway that connected the girls’ and the boys’ buildings. He also remembered

spottingwhatheandfriendsthoughtwasMorsecodebeingflashedacrosstheBristolChannelat

night, and trying in “derring-do” style to decode it. Ronald started school a “Tufa” (aword he

wroteonthebackofayoungphotoofhimself,possiblymeaningmidget)andleftover6foottall.

Thiswasaninterestingaffairfortherugbyteam,asRonwasthehooker;somethingthattickled

him. He also loved playing tennis and continued into his 70s. In spite of sounding cheeky, his

headmasterdescribedhimasbeingof“goodsteadycharacter,agreatcontributortothelifeofthe

15

school, and ideally suited to agriculture”

inwhichhewasdevelopinganinterest.

As part of his National Service as a

conscientious objector (CO) Ron worked

at Forest Lodge, a sheep farm near

Brecon. His family used to holiday in

Walessohedevelopedadeeploveofthe

countryfromanearlyage.This lovemay

have prompted his purchase in 1968 of

Maes yr Eglwys, a sheep farm in the

Swansea Valley. When Ron went on to

study Agriculture at Reading University in 1950, he met a group of Nigerian students being

preparedforIndependence,whichmayhavepiquedhis interestinAfrica.Whilsttrainingforthe

Colonial Service in 1953 he also met Victor Ngu, who later became Minister of Health in

Cameroon.RonstudiedHausabutwassenttoaYorubaspeakingareaasRuralEducationOfficerin

Ibadan. This frustrationmight have contributed to his lacklustre attitude to learning languages!

Whenheturned28,Ronhadagapyearofsorts:hitchhiking,sailingandtakingpublic transport

around Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, Tanganyika, Uganda and Kenya after which, he described

himself as being “under the spell of Africa”. He followed this with a diploma in Agricultural

EconomicsatStPeter’sCollege,Oxford.Headmittedthatatthistimehewaslookingforawife(or

so it says in his book Eyes on Africa, published in 2005). He spotted the beautiful, articulate,

intelligentandpassionatedoctor,TheresaPiper,whohadjustreturnedfrompre-registrationwork

inUganda.TheymetattheAfricaInterestGroupduringQuakerYearlyMeetingatFriendsHouse

inLondon in1958.Ashared loveofAfrica,Quakerismandadesiretobeofservicesealedtheir

partnership. Ron and Theresawere both idealists and pragmatists, with shared values of living

simply(”...thatothersmaysimplylive”)andsharingtheirgifts,privilegesandknowledgetoenable

Africa to become independent. It wasn’t a one-way relationship, as Africa and Africans taught

themalotmoreaboutcommunity,sustainability,theenduranceandbeautyofthehumanspirit,

laughter, singing, dancing and African beliefs, cultures and customs. They married at Jordans

FriendsMeetinghouseonJuly18th1959.

Ronald’snext jobhadtheexotic titleofTribalAgriculturalOfficer fortheBamangwatotribe.He

andhisnewwifesailedofftogethertoCapeTown,thentravelledbycartoSeroweinwhatwas

then the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Theresawas guarding the secret of her first child as they

motored north to the Kalahari desert. Marguerite was born seven months after they arrived.

SeretseKhama,(whobecamethefirstpresidentofBotswana)andhiswifeRuthwereneighbours

and became friends. Ron had an interesting time working with the tribe’s cattle, battling the

problemsoffootandmouthdiseaseandlackofwater,andre-startingthelocalAgriculturalShow,

anotherlife-longinterest.

After the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa, Ron and Theresa found themselves putting up

16

refugees and helping them escape to Ghana – including Adelaide Tambo, the wife of ANC

President Oliver Tambo. Visitors to the house also included the first white national hero of

Zimbabwe,GuyClutton-Brock,andhiswifeMollie,whobothsubsequentlyadvisedRonaldonhis

career. Ronald decided hewould always be an expatriate and not a settler, and promoted the

needfor‘Africanisation’.

In1961whenthePanAfricanCongressadoptedarmedstruggleaspartof theirpolicy,Ronand

Theresa leftBotswana,moving toKenya in1962 toworkat theQuakerMissionaryCollegeand

hospitalinKaimosi.Ronwaslecturingthere,andinturbulenttimeswithstudentsregularlystriking

heseemedtobeapeaceful,diplomaticpresence.Kageha,theirsecondchild,alongwith13other

babieswere fosteredaround this time from thehospital Theresaworked in.WhenKagehawas

later adopted, Ron and Theresaworked hard to have out-dated ideas overturned, for example

lobbyingforblackpeopletohaveaccesstotheswimmingpoolinKisumu.TheWattsfamilythen

moved to Embu, where Ronald took up the post of Principal at the Institute of Agriculture.

Following this, the family moved to Uganda where Ron taught agricultural extension work at

MakerereUniversity.

Around 1967 theWatts family took extended leave in the UK to adopt

Jeremy.Theystayed inoneof theWattscottagesnearHenleywhichhad

beenboughtbyHaroldin1933.Thesewerethedayswhenprimaryschools

gave out little full-cream milk bottles with straws — a huge novelty toMarguerite and Kageha.Milk was ladled out of farmmilk churns at the

bottomoftheroadintojugsforhouseholduse.

ReturningtoUgandawithJeremy,thechildrenhadanexcitinglifeonthe

agriculturalextensioncampus,KabanyoloFarm.Thefamilymadegooduse

ofthetennisandsquashcourtsaswellasaswimmingpoolatthenearby

NamulongeCottonResearch Station. Indeed, theWatts familywas at thepool theday in 1971

whenIdiAmintookoverfromOboteinacoup.RonandTheresalovedtheBBCWorldservice,and

itwastheearlymorningnewsthathadalertedthemtothecoupjust intimetostoptheschool

bussettingoffforKampala.AminwasverypopularwiththeBagandaandinitiallywiththeBritish,

and Ron gave him a tour round the Kabanyolo farm campus. Ron felt that Amin was

knowledgeableabouttheproblemsofthesmallfarmer,andhewasdelightedwhenthePresident

announced that agricultural programmes would be aired on the radio daily. Ministers were

appointedtotheirpostsbyradiotoo…itoftenbeingthefirsttheyheardaboutit.

As thingswere starting tounravel in 1972, theWatts’s leftUganda for theUK, in between the

forceddepartureoftheIsraelicommunityandtheexpulsionof80,000Asians.Thejourneybackto

UKwasanepiconebytrainandthenshipfromMombasaandaroundtheCape,withchallenging

momentsforthefamily,andparticularlyKageha,astheypassedthroughapartheidSouthAfrica.

A few years on the farm in Wales from 1972 enabled Ronald to progress in his career as a

journalist,whichhadstartedwith“Letterstotheeditor”backwhenhewasaCO,andwasaided

bylessonsinjournalismwheninOxford.HewroteforFarmersWeeklyandTheGuardian’sforeign

17

pages,havingpreviouslywrittenfor

African papers like the Uganda

Argus, East African Standard and

Daily Times of Lagos. Photography

was another of Ron’s lifelong

enthusiasms, and he had many

slides in photo libraries for use by

the media. His photo of Entebbe

airportwasusedby leadingpapers

and was shown on the television

news at the time of the Israeli

hostagecrisis.

Ron’s career in themedia reached itspeakwhenheandTheresa lived in Zambia from1977 to

1986. Whilst Ronald worked with the government teaching agricultural extension, he also

presented ‘Lima Time’, an agricultural TV programme. The President, Kenneth Kaunda,

occasionallywatched theprogramme,and in themid-90’sunexpectedlydropped inonRonand

Theresa when they were working in Katete. He introduced Ron to the small crowd that had

gatheredastheLimaTimepresenter.Amazingly,childrenbythesideoftheroadinruralZambia

would recognise Ron’s trademark red hat and shout “MrWattsss, MrWattsss” whilst running

alongsidethecar.ItisdifficulttoimaginewheretheywouldhaveseenaTV.

Throughout his life, Ronwas interested in connections, networking, people’swork and stories,

andalltheabsurditiesofbeinghuman.Hislopsidedgrinandhumorous,openquestionsledtohim

beinginvitedtowriteacolumncalled“LighterLook“inTheHerald,formerlytheRhodesianHerald.

Whilst in Harare from 1990 to 1993, Ron and Theresa contributed a Quaker view to religious

programmesontheradio,someexcerptsofwhichwereusedathisfuneral.Roncontinuedwriting

whentheylivedinSouthAfricaandalsostartedtrainingtobecomeacounsellor,althoughhewas

consideredunsuitablebecausehetalkedtoomuch!

Ronaldhada remarkableability tobe flexible,adaptableand imaginative inhis careerpath.He

foundmanyways to communicatehis visionof the centrality and importanceof agriculture for

African independenceand to share thevalues thatQuakersholddear, including stewardshipof

the earth and its resources and looking for

that of God in everyone. As AIDS swept

throughAfrica, Ronwas involved inworking

with AIDS organisations to give good

information and support to affected

communities. Population control was also a

concern, and Ron tried to spread family

planning ideas that would be culturally

acceptable.Therewasawidearrayofstrands

18

which ran throughRon’s life, leading to consultancies for the InternationalCoffeeOrganisation,

OxfamandtheFoodandAgriculturalOrganisation,lecturetoursaroundSouthAfricatoallayfears

overindependence,conferencesonLandReform,andnumerousQuakeractivities.RonwasClerk

forCentral&SouthernAfricanYearlyMeetingforanumberofyearsandlovedattendingQuaker

AfricaInterestGroup,andlatterlyU3AandtheRoyalAfricaSociety.

EvenafterhisfirststrokeRonandTheresagaveatalkandslideshowtoalocalschoolinGilwern,

hoping to inspire the children on African issues. Many of Ron’s images and memories, which

appear tohave remained inhis visual cortex afterhewentblind,were todowith committees,

filmingandconferences.

Asa father,Ronaldwaspatient,kind,gentle,curious,humorous, teasingand fullofAfricanand

Welshstoriesandcharacters.Therewasasteadinessandopennessabouthimthatpeoplewere

drawnto.

HelenValegavetheoraltestimony.

4.4 DoreenDowd,1941-2015Doreen started life in Sandymountwhichwas then a suburb of Dublin and grew through early

childhood there,whereher father ran a smallMarketGardenorNursery and sold theproduce

mainlythroughtheMunicipalMarketinthecity.

Her father was of Quaker background and her mother had joined some time before their

marriage,havinggrownupintheChurchofIreland(Anglican).

This is where some explanation of Doreen’s character and motivation can be found. She was

raised in a home where the orthodoxies of Christian belief were predominant. Attendance at

MeetingforWorshipwasasinequanon,withattendanceatTheFriends’MissionGospelMeeting

on Sunday evening. During her teens she would have attended, and later helped to organise

Quakercampsandsimilaractivities.AtvarioustimessherepresentedIrishQuakersatconferences

inEngland,Switzerland,AmericaandKenya.

HerparentshadservedasmissionarieswiththeFriends’EvangelisticBandinEngland,sometimes

workingfromacaravan.TheyhadaspirationstobecomemissionariesinAfricabutacertainHerr

A.Hitlerintervened!

Doreendecidedatanearlyagethatshewantedtoqualifyasadoctorandpursuedthisobjective

relentlessly, winning scholarships through secondary school and university. Subsequently she

specialisedasachestphysicianand,apartfromafewyearsgainingexperienceabroad,shespent

mostofhercareerintwoofthemajorteachinghospitalsinDublin.

Doreennotonlyexpectedthehigheststandardsfromotherpeople,butmadesureto liveupto

them herself. She was quite rigid in many of her attitudes, but they were always qualified in

19

presence of real trouble or suffering. There was not the least tincture of egotism in her and

everythingshedidwasfocusedontheserviceofherSaviourthroughherfellowcreatures.

HerlifewasinformedbyprayeranddailyreadingsoftheBible.Shedidnotattempttoimposeher

beliefsonanyonebutwasalwaysreadyto“answerforthehopethatwasinher”,andtotakeher

stand.ThecentraleventinherlifewasthedayshegaveherlifetoJesus.

Followingthepassingofherparentsduringthedecadeofthe’80s,shefeltthecalltoserveher

Lord in Africa and resigned from her consultant position in 1992. She spent some time vainly

searchingfortherightpathtofollowandthen,whenthetimewasright,theopportunityopened

to work in the Salvation Army Hospital in Chikankata, Zambia. She enjoyed the challenge of

developingher skills in amulti-disciplinaryenvironment, though theworkwasat timearduous.

During 1997 what seemed like unfortunate circumstances developed there and consequently

Doreen returned to Dublin. She was deeply challenged and troubled by these events but still

believedthathervocationwastowork inAfrica.Almostayearpassedand,throughwhatsome

mightcalljustaco-incidence,whilesittinginacoffeeshop,shemetacolleaguefromearlyinher

career that shehadnot seen fordecades. They compared their respectiveworkexperiences. It

transpiredthathewasthenworkingwithIrishAidandhetoldherofavacancywiththeLesotho

FlyingDoctorService.Andsoanotherdooropened.WhenshetoldherbrotherAlanthatshewas

goingtobeflyingovertheDrakensbergMountainsinalittleCessnaaircrafthisresponsewas,“I

can’tbelievethis!Youareanervouspassengerinmycar!”

DoreenarrivedinLesothoinearly1998.

She immediately stepped into her job as a practical, hands-on doctor and flew off regularly to

remote, inaccessible areas armed with her stethoscope and medicine box and an absolute

minimumofcasenotes.Probablyhalfhertimewasspentupintheremote,sometimesneglected,

clinics.

SheworkedwiththelargelyAmerican/Canadian-backedMissionAviationFellowshipwherespirit

andhumanitarianpracticalityflourishedtogether.Oneofhermorefamousachievementswasthe

safe delivery of a baby in a small single-engine aircraft – with a New Zealand sheep farmer

passengeractingasmidwife.

DespitemuchtimeawayfromMaseru,DoreenquicklybecameakeenmemberofLAMandwhen

CarolandJackUrnermetwith injury/death inacaraccident, theweeklyMeetingmovedtoher

home(exceptwhenshewasawayworkinginthemountains).

ShegaveenormoussupporttothoselessfortunateoftheMeeting–sponsoringsomefortraining

inSA,payingforARVsandfornutritionalbackup.Hercontributionmusthavebeenwaymorethan

thebiblical10%tithe.

AfterherreturntoIrelandshemadeatleasttworeturnvisitstoLesothoand,rightuptotheend

ofherlife,continuedtogivepracticalandfinancialsupporttotheMeeting.

20

DoreenretiredtoherhomeinDublinin2004wheresheenjoyedworkinginhergarden,oneofher

great loves. She remained committed to theQuaker community inDublinand for several years

workedpart-timeintheiroffice.Sadlyshewasdiagnosedwithcancerand,althoughsheexpected

full recovery following several surgical procedures, unforeseen complications developed.

Throughoutherfinalstrugglewiththe illnessoverseveralmonths,herfaithneverwavered.She

wastakento“thep-lacereservedforher”on18thMarch2015.

JimMcCloyfromLAMgavetheoraltestimonytothelifeofDoreenDowdwhobelongedtoLMM

andattendedmeetingbetween1998and2006.

TestimoniesfortwoLAMFriendsrecentlydeceased,namelyRoseParadiseandNeoMasiloane,and

aCWMMFriendrecentlydeceased,JohnBroom,willbegivenatthe2018YearlyMeeting.

5 FinancialReports

5.1 C&SAYMTreasurer’sReport&Budget

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

1. Introduction

ThecurrentTreasurertookofficeinJanuary2015.Althoughitwasasmoothhandoverin

some respects, the lack of financial records for YM 2015 has made it difficult to fully

reconcileallthefiguresrelatingtoYM.Wearestillintheprocessofsortingtheseout.

2. SomeManagementIssues

The management of the Yearly Meeting bank account with Standard Bank had been

uneventful,untilearlierin2016,whensignatorieswereneededtoauthoriseaccesstothe

account.The first issuewasthe lackofeasilyaccessible informationaboutwhotheYM

signatories were (even the signatories were uncertain!). Secondly, the tortuous

procedurestobefollowedforwhatshouldbesimplebankingarrangements–ofcourse

thisproblemiswellknowntous,butitmayrequirearethinkonwhereandhowtokeep

ourfunds.

3. Income

Themain source of income for YearlyMeeting is the annual quotas paid by individual

members and attenders via their localMeetings. All but twomeetings have paid their

quotasfortheyear2015–2016,thoughsomeofthepaymentswerereceivedwithinthe

21

newfinancialyear.

It would appear that some members are not managing or are not able to pay their

quotas,withtheresultthatthereislessincomeforYM.Asareminder,wealthierFriends

inaparticularMeetingareexpectedtoaugmentwhatlesswell-offmembersareableto

paytowardstheirquotas,wherepossible.

4. Expenditure

TheMeetinghaslargelykeptwithinbudget,andthishasbeenhelpedgreatlybytheflow

of annual quotas into our account. The statement of account is at a draft stage at the

timeofwriting,andwehopetohaveamorerefinedversionintimeforYM.

2016/2MINUTE—C&SAYMTREASURER’SREPORT

AnadditionalamountofaboutR8000toR9000tobeaddedtotheIncomefigureforregistration

fees.

5. ProposedBudgetfor2015–-2016FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

Themotivationforcertainaspectsofthebudgetis:firstlytoretainthemembershipfees

closetowhattheywereinthepreviousyear.TheSACCcontributionisunderdiscussionat

present.ItissuggestedthatYMconsideranincreaseinthefeespaidforadministration,

asthisissuchavaluablecontributiontothelifeofYM.

A further consideration for YM is to increase the annual quota to R500perMember –

alwayswiththeprovisoofabilitytopay.Themotivationforthismayturnouttobequite

lengthy,butinessence,itiswhatweasindividualsexpectofourrelationshipwiththeYM

body.Havingmorefundsavailablewillhelpinmanyways,includinglessdependenceon

the Trust funds, andwill open up the possibility of YM contributing to the PJDF – and

others.

MarkPovall

Treasurer

2016/3MINUTE—C&SAYMPROPOSEDBUDGET

Itisproposedtodividethebudgetintothreeparts.ThenextYMbudgetwillbeforthe2017–18

year and the numbers are imponderable. However MYRM will happen in 2017 and require a

budget; the numbers there will be known. Things that happen outside of YM also need to be

22

budgetedfor,e.g.SACCmembership.Anincreaseinquotasisproposed.

1.CSAYMBUDGETFOR2015/16-DRAFT

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

SAFCEIcontributionincreasedtoR1000.

SecretarialassistanceR20500—R1500pm(Oct-Apr),R2000pm(May-Sept)

2.CSAYMBUDGETFOR2016/17-DRAFT

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

Note:Thequotaforthenextfinancialyear,Oct2016/Sept2017,hasbeenincreasedtoR600forSouthAfricanFriends,andR550fornon-SouthAfricans.

Thisissimilarinstructuretothe2015–16budget.Theclerks’travelallowancehasbeenincreased

toallowforthelikelyextraneedsarisingfromanincomingclerk.

Quotas increase by 20% to R600, but the budgeted/anticipated income makes allowance for

Friendswhocannotmanagethisamount.

Thisbudgetwasapprovedasadraftbudget,subjecttocorrections.

3.CSAYMBUDGETFORMYRM(April2017)-DRAFT

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

Note:Attendanceestimated: 2YMClerks 1Secretary,

2CommunicationsCluster15fromMeetings

InthepastwhentherewerelongergapsbetweenYMs,morepeopleattendedMYRManditwas

longer.ThenextYM is in January2018somorepeoplecouldbe included (20).MYRMcouldbe

brought forward to an earlier date, namely April 2017. Attendance at MYRM is ‘by invitation’

insofarasitinvolvestheclerksandservesthepurposeofplanningYM.

5.2 ECTFReportforYMMay2016Globalmarketshaveenteredintoturbulenttimesamidmuchpoliticaluncertainty,thelowprice

and glut of oil, the end of quantum easing and the prospect of perpetually low interest rates.

Nationally, corruption, lack of leadership, over-dependence on commodity sales to a slowing

Chinesemarketandlackofdiversificationwiththealmostinevitableforthcomingjunkratingare

23

allleadingtoafallingmarket.

ECTFhadaprettygoodyearin2014/15butthecurrentyearislikelytoseeasignificantfallinthe

value of our assets for the reasons stated above. The latest statement (31st December 2015)

valuestheportfolioatR13,555,446comparedtoR13,885,398ayearearlier.Thisisadecreaseof

R329,552.

DuringthefinancialyeartodateNokuthulaMbeteattendedameetinginKenyainherroleasco-

clerk of FWCC Africa section and she, Justine Limpitlaw and Khosi Daniel attended the FWCC

meeting in Peru. Two of these places were funded by FWCC and not by ECTF. It has been

questionedastowhetherwegetanyvalueoutofourmembershipofFWCC.Theminutesdonot

seem to reflect what was discussed, are not agreed at the time and there are problems of

patriarchyandhomophobia.

Whilst there is enough income to meet our requirements this financial year (October 2015 to

September2016),nextyearourincomewillalmostcertainlybereducedandwewillneedtocut

ourclothtofit.

Currentlyexpenditureissplitasfollows:

YM 60%

MYRM 11%

YF 7%(whichisnotenoughtocovercostsandrequirestopupfromCAQT)

FWCC 7%

Clerksadmin 5%

Localmeetingsupport 3%

Travelintheministry 1.5%

Clerkscourses 0.5%

Contingency 5%

ThetrustalsoagreedtoactastheconduitforthePeace,JusticeandDevelopmentFundwhichis

divided into Long-Termand Short-Term funds. At the year-end the Long-Term Fund reflected a

balanceofR200,000.

Thetrustdeedneedsupdatingurgently;currentlythetrusteesonthelistheldbytheHighCourt

areMarkPovall,RodWoollgarandCaroAtwell.CaroresignedasaQuakerover13yearsago.Mark

wishestobereplaced.Rodhasalsosuggestedthatduetohisageheshouldalsobereplaced.In

practiceNokuthulaMbeteand JulieSubergalsoactas trusteesandhavedone foragoodwhile

albeitnotformallyappointed.Inaddition,TebogoMoteaneissupposedtobeatrustee,however,

therehasneverbeenanycorrespondencereceivedfromTebogo,whichisaproblem.Ashedoes

notseemtohavereadyaccesstoemailhehasbeendroppedfromcorrespondence.

24

Going forward there are likely to be more calls on ECTF than can be accommodated and

applicationsfortravelandaccommodationgrantsforYMarelikelytohavetobeadministeredon

afirst-comefirst-servedprinciple.

KayeFoskettandColinGlen

February2016

2016/4MINUTE—ECTFANDPJDF

TebogoMoteane’snewemailaddressismoteanetebogo@gmail.com.

YF Budget: an amount of R25 000 is available for the current year. If the camp takes place

immediatelyaftertheendofthefinancialyeartherewouldbeR50000available.Whennecessary,

top-up ismadefromCAQTwhereprovision isalsomade.Materialspurchasedfor thechildren’s

activitiescancomefromdiscretionarymoney.

TheYearlyMeetingwishestoexpressitsverygreatthankstoColinGlenandKayeFoskettforthe

sterlingworkthattheydoonECTF.Correspondenceisalwayspromptlyrespondedtoandrequests

forfundingsympatheticallyconsidered.

Themeetinghasreceivedthe2016ECTFReport.

Themeetinghasanumberofconcernstherewithwhichitwouldliketominuteandrequeststhe

Clerks to convey the sentiments expressed in the minute to Colin Glen and to Kaye Foskett

reflectingthese.Theseconcernsare:

1. Themeeting is of themind that statements regarding the YM’s relationshipwith FWCCought to be determined by the YM itself. The meeting is of the view that there are

numerousbenefitstobeingpartofFWCC.

2. ThemeetingalsoconfirmsthatitisoftheviewthatTebogoMoteanehastheconfidenceoftheYMtobeatrustee.

3. Themeetinghadquestions regarding thedetailed accounts, includingwanting clarityontheLoansofR49185.66referredtointhebalancesheet(towhom,forwhat,etc)andno

oneatYMwasabletoshedlightonthese,whichwasunfortunate.

4. The meeting wanted to know if there is a way in which the annual accounts can bepresented in a simplified form so that they are understandable to people without

accountingbackgrounds.

5. Themeetingisoftheviewthatit isessentialthateitherKayeFoskett,orColinGlen,ora

25

dulyauthorisedFriend(whoisfullyconversantwiththeECTFaccountsandwhoisableto

answerquestionsthereonandtorelaytheconcernsofthemeetingbacktoKayeandColin)

needstobe inattendanceatYMtotalktotheECTFreportandaccountsandtoshare in

theexperienceofYMtobeabletofullyappreciatethedirectionandconcernsofC&SAYM.

6. Friends from Bulawayo expressed some frustration regarding the ECTF funding of localBulawayo activities as agreed. The Treasurer offered to find a solution to the banking

difficultiesthatexistwithaviewtosolvingtheseexpeditiously.

ReportofthePJDF(Peace,JusticeandDevelopmentFund)–YearlyMeetingApril2016

ThePJDFwasestablishedatthe2015YM,usingtheresidualvaluefromthesaleofHlekwenias

capitaltoopenthefund.

The fundwas set up by the KZNMM, initiated byGeoff Harris, to enable Friends to start small

projectswhichalignwiththevaluesproclaimedinthenameofthefund.

Disbursablemoneysfromthefundmayaccrueintwoways:(1)annualproceedsfrominvestment

of the capital; and (2) new donations whose donors indicate that the money is immediately

available for spending on appropriate projects. If a donor does not indicate a preference, that

donationwillbeallocatedinequalsharestocapitalandcurrentfunds.

Donorsmayalsoearmarkpartoralloftheirdonationstogrowthefundcapital.

AnanonymousdonationofR15000,availablefordisbursal,wasreceivedduring2015.

TworequestsforPJDFgrantswerereceivedandapprovedbytheQuakerFinancesCommitteein

2016. One was to finance the purchase of wool for a volunteer knitting project in Durban –

Beanies and Blankets for Babies (B+B4B) –which knits garments for poor communities in rural

KZN. Theotherwas to finance twoAVPworkshops inBulawayo,where experienced facilitators

fromKZNandNamibiamentoredlocalAVPfacilitatorstoempowerthemtocontinueofferingand

runningAVPworkshopsintheBulawayoarea.

ThesegrantstogetheramountedtoR8100.

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

26

5.3 CompassionFundreporttoYM2016

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

2016/5MINUTE—COMPASSIONFUND

Thenarrativereportwaspresented.SevenFriendswereassistedwithatotalofR11103,lessthan

what had been budgeted. The balance can be carried forward. The problems were short-term

assistance in unemployment, a need for spectacles, and food aid. Itwasmentioned that some

local meetings also distribute their own compassion funds. This has been reported in meeting

reports.

C&SAYMCompassionFundCommitteeReport–YearlyMeetingApril2016

C&SAYM Compassion Committee has worked well together, communicating from Maseru,

Johannesburg,CapeTownandPietermaritzburgasneedshavearisen, since last YearlyMeeting

heldinHartebeespoortduringJanuary2015.

SevenFriendshavebeenassistedduringthisperiod,withgrantstotallingR11103.Thisislessthan

theamountbudgetedtobeavailableforgrants.CompassionCommitteeFundsarereflectedinthe

C&SAYMFinancialStatements.

ThegrantssupportedaFriendwhohadbeenretrenched fromhis job;aneedyFriend inurgent

needofspectacles;andfiveFriendswhosefamilieswereenduringhungerbecauseofthesevere

drought.

The process of considering requests has led to somemodification of the application form, the

latestversionofwhichisonthewebsite,orcanbeobtainedfromtheYMSecretary.

Warm thanks to Friends who serve on the Compassion Committee, blending sensitivity to the

needsof Friendswith careful consideration and realismabout the limited capacity of the fund.

ThanksalsotoourTreasurer,andtoYearlyandMonthlyMeetingClerkswhohaverespondedto

theneedsofmembers.

JulieSuberg,DuduMtshazo,CeciliaNkesiandJohnInglis

27

5.4 ChristineAgarQuakerTrustFundReportforYM2016Globalmarketshaveenteredintoturbulenttimesamidmuchpoliticaluncertainty,thelowprice

andglutofoil,theendofquantumeasingandtheprospectofperpetuallylowinterestratesinthe

developedeconomiesoftheworld.Nationally,corruption,lackofleadership,overdependenceon

commoditysalestoaslowingChinesemarketandlackofdiversificationwiththealmostinevitable

forthcomingjunkratingareallleadingtoafallingmarket.

CAQThadareasonableyearin2014/15butthecurrentyearislikelytoseeasignificantfallinthe

valueof itsassetsforthereasonsstatedabove.Thelateststatement(31stJanuary2016)values

theportfolioatR5,990.014comparedtoR6,584,691ayearearlier.ThisisadecreaseR594,677.

During the financial year thebulkof thegrants (R193,740 in total)weremade to Johannesburg

MonthlyMeeting(55%)forAdministrationSupport,SecurityandUtilities;followedbyagrantto

the Compassion Fund (31%); Co-operation with others for Xenophobia and AVP (4%); The

CeasefireCampaign(1%);SAQN(1%);ExcessofIncomeoverExpenditurereinvested(8%)

Of the total fundsavailable for grants this financial yearR200,000 (October2015 toSeptember

2016),R39,000hasbeenallocatedorspentsofar,leavingR161,000available.

Thetrustmanagedthe financesofboththeQuakerBasic IncomeGrants (BIG)andtheGervaise

LegUpTrust(GLUT):

BIG–TheincomeofBIGfortheyearwasR11,500andgrantsmadetotalledR13,320reducingthe

capitalfromR29,873toR28,017.

GLUT–madenograntsduringtheyearandreceivedashareonincomefromCAQTofR5,099.56

takingitscapitalupfromR106,065at30September2014toR111,165at30September2015.

TheTrusteesareBetsyCoville,DuduMtshazoandRoryShort.TheclerkandtreasurerisColinGlen

ColinGlenFebruary2016

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

2016/6MINUTE—CHRISTINEAGARQUAKERTRUST

Itwasnotedthatourincomehasdroppedverysubstantially.Itislikelytodosofurther,especially

ifSAisgivenjunkstatus.

Itwasproposedthatifloansaremade,nonamesshouldbedisclosed.Trusteesoffundsneedto

beinformedofthis.

Werecognise that it is in the interestof transparency that theCAQTaccountsaresubmitted to

YM.We note that there are some inaccuracies in the balance sheet and the 2015/16 Budget.

ThesewillbetakenupwithTrusteesandtheAdministrator.TrusteesareremindedoftheirQuaker

28

andlegalresponsibilities.

5.5 FriendsHungerFund2016/7MINUTE—FRIENDS’HUNGERFUND

GeoffHarriswillwritetoMeetingclerkstorequestdonationstothisfundwhichwillbemanaged

bytheCSAYMtreasurer.

TheproposalisthatMMclerksofBQMandLAMshouldpurchasemealiemealandbeansasper

the approved amounts, to be distributed to the families monthly. It was proposed that the

amountsbeincreasedby10%asfoodpriceswillincrease.Alsoprovisionshouldbemadeforcosts

incurred in purchasing and distributing the food. It was queried why the existing food relief

schemeinBulawayocouldnotcoverthisneed,insteadofanotherschemebeingsetup.Aletteris

tobe sent to JohnandKelitha inwhich theycanbeaskedwhether theyarewilling to consider

includingurbanhouseholdsintheirdistributionscheme.TheCompassionFundcanalsocontribute

tocoverthecostsofthisemergencyfoodrelief.

MINUTEPREPAREDBYGEOFFHARRIS:

1. ThatC&SAYMestablishahunger relief fund toprovideassistance for familiesassociatedwith localmeetings— currently 12 in Bulawayo and five in Lesotho— for a 12-month

period.

2. That a separate account be set up under C&SAYM, to which monthly meetings andindividualscontribute.TheCompassionFundandCAQTmayalsocontribute.

3. That funds be sent to the BQM and LAM clerks who will arrange for the sourcing anddistributionof food. For12 families inBulawayo:Mealiemeal: onebagper family@$11

(R165)perbag=R23760;Beans:6kgper family@$7(R105)=R15120.TotalR270per

month per family = R38 880 p.a. For five families in Lesotho (80%of Zimbabweprices):

Mealie meal: 6 kg per family@R132 per bag = R 7920. Other food (beans are not

commonly eaten in Lesotho) @ R84=R5040. Total R216 per month per family= R12

960p.a.

Totalamountperannum:R51840.

Itwasproposedthatthesumbeincreasedbynomorethan10%toaccommodate

expectedincreasesinthepriceofthesestaplesinthecomingyear.

4. The BMM and LAM clerks will report to the Quaker Funds Committee, copied to theC&SAYMTreasurer,attheendofeachthreemonths.Thesereportswillguidefundingfor

thenextthreemonths.

5. AnycostsincurredinsourcingandredistributingfoodwillbereimbursedbyC&SAYM.

6. InthecaseofBulawayo,thisoperationisentirelyseparatefromZFRA.

29

5.6 ReportingonFinances2016/8MINUTE—REPORTINGONFINANCES

1. TheMeetingacknowledgesourweaknessinsomeareasoffinancialoversight.

2. The C&SAYMMeeting agrees that the Co-clerks and the Financial Oversight Committeeprovidebasic training in trusteeshipand financialoversight forFriendswilling to takeon

the necessary and legally required role of trustees of our funds, and directors of

organisations.

3. WethanktheClerkforherclarityandleadershipduringanextremelytestingtime.

4. Financial statementsshouldbeposted timeouslyon thewebsite,behindapassword, formemberstostudythembeforeYMandMYRM.

5. FriendswereremindedthatFinancialreportsandaccountsofallconcernsunderthecareof Yearly Meeting or of a monthly meeting within the YM (such as the Quaker Peace

Centre, The Bursary Scheme, ZFRA, Quaker Service Western Cape, etc.) ought to be

reportedonatYearlyMeetingsoastodeveloptransparencyandanongoingcommitment

tosupportingeachotheringoodcorporategovernanceprinciples.

30

6 ReportsoflocalMeetings6.1 BOTSWANA2016/9MINUTE—BOTSWANA

NoreportwasreceivedfromBotswanaMonthlyMeeting.

Thecurrentclerk,BrigittevanderCasteel,hasmovedtoCapeTown.

TheMeeting has requested the Co-clerks to send the following correspondence to the Clerk of

BotswanaMonthlyMeeting.

LettertoBrigittevanderCasteel

DearBrigitte

Warm greetings from YM 2016 on whose behalf we write to voice our

sympathy foryouandyour family,andalsotowishyouwell inyournew

homeinCapeTown.

We also write to ask you, as Clerk of BMM and now that you have

relocatedtoCapeTown,tofindoutwhatassistanceYMcanprovideshould

BMMwish to continue as aMonthlyMeeting. If there is a Friendwilling

andabletotake-uptheroleofClerk,wewouldbedelightedtowelcome

himorherintotheposition.

Ontheotherhand, ifafterassessingthesituationwithinBMM, it isclear

thatcontinuingasaMonthlyMeetingwouldnotbefeasible,itwillbecome

necessarytolaythemeetingdowninaccordancewithrightordering.

If BMM does decide to lay down the meeting, Friends in Botswana can

continue to be part of CSAYM as Isolated Friends,with the possibility of

reviving the Meeting at a future date should the number of Friends in

Botswanaincreasesufficiently.

Welookforwardtohearingyourconcernsandconsiderationsaboutthese

questions.

InFriendshipandlove

HelenandJohn

Co-ClerksC&SAYM

31

6.2 BULAWAYO6.2.1 Membership

Members 8

Visitingmembers 1

Attenders 7

Averageattendance 8

Absent/Inactivemembers 5

YoungFriends 3

Children 3

6.2.2 Intervisitations6.2.2.1 Meetinghadanopportunity forworshipand fellowshipwith theseFriends:NolaNixon

fromMoyalow,Portadown,NorthIreland.Shewasstayingafewmetresfromthemeet-

inghousewithafriend.Shegenerouslydonated$40tothemeetingaccount.Richardand

PushpaKnottenbeltwerewelcomeonafarewellvisitastheywereleavingZimbabwefor

thestateofNewMexicointheUSA.GeorginaMbambo,amemberofCWMM,worships

with us each time she visit relatives in Bulawayo. Rosina Sithole from Lincolnshire UK

cametoworshipwiththemeetingwhenshevisitedherrelativeshereinBulawayo.Sarah

JoyLeitchfromHebdenBridgeMeeting,WestYorkshire,UKvisitedusinFebruary2016.

FromourmeetingJohnandKelithaSchmidwereinHarareforabouttwomonthsstaying

with Richard and Pushpa Knottenbelt in the HMM cottage. Ananias and Solomon

attendedMYRMinAugust2015atKoinoniaCatholicChurch,Johannesburg.

6.2.2.2 YearlyMeetingClerks– Justine LimpitlawandHelenHolleman togetherwithYMElder,HelenVale,visitedBulawayoinMay2015.AworkshopwasheldinBurnside.Thepurpose

oftheworkshopwastohealdivisionsaftertheclosureofHlekweniRuralTrainingCenter.

Themeetingseemedlosingspiritual focusandbeingovertakenbyother issuesthatun-

derminethespiritualityofthemeeting.TheworkshopwaswellattendedbymanyBQM

members/attenders.Adetailedreportwaswrittenandsharedwiththewholeregion.The

three visitors attendedmeeting forworshipwith the group in themeetinghouseon7

June2015.

6.2.2.3 MariekeClarke fromOxfordQuakerMeetingUK,ahistorian, visitedBulawayo in2015.We had an opportunity for worship and fellowship with this Britain Yearly Meeting

Friend.Themeetingsharedsomearchiveinformationwithher.Shelikedtheinformation

butwasconcernedathowourdocumentswerekeptincardboardboxes.MariekeClarke

inUKmanagedtoraise$120thatshedonatedtothemeetingforametalfilingcabinet.

32

ShecontactedaZimbabweanfriendwhoadvisedustovisitKingsAuction.Weboughta

second-handmetalfilingcabinet,gotitrepairedandspray-painted.Earlieronherwaygo-

ingbackthroughSouthAfricasheraisedR1,100thatshedonatedintoourlocalcompas-

sionfund.

6.2.3 SpiritualLifeoftheMeeting6.2.3.1 MeetingforWorshipisheldeverySundayforanhourfrom9.30–10.30am.Meetingfor

WorshipforBusinessisscheduledtobeheldonthesecondSundayofeverymonth.John

Schmid,whenhe isaround,bringsshort (5-minute)piecesofclassicalmusicwhich lead

straightintosilentworship.

6.2.3.2 Quakerliteraturethatissharedfromallpartsoftheworld:TheFriendmagazine(BYM),AustralianFriend,QuakerVoices(BYM),ExperimentwithLightjournalspamphletsbooks

&CD’s,QuakerSpeakVideos,StepsTowardsInnerPeaceetc.

6.2.3.3 ThemeetingEldersproposedtouse30minutesofthemeetingforworshiponeSundayeverymonthtostudyAdviceandQueries,Handbooketc.

6.2.4 ContributionstoServiceandSocialJusticeZimbabweFoodReliefAction:JohnandKelithaSchmiddistributefoodonbehalfofYearly

Meeting.Thereportispresentedseparately.

ZimbabweBursaryFund:Thereportispresentedseparately.

SiphoNsimbiisinvolvedinLivelihoodSupportprogramsforWidowsandSingleParentsin

theMatebelelandregion.

SolomonMakadzange continueswithEmakhandeniCommunityBasedRehabilitationand

Advocacygroupforpeoplelivingwithdisabilitiesinward11Bulawayoasthechairperson.

Phillemon Chirimambowa is the representative of Meriwether Foundation Trust in the

region:SouthAfrica,ZambiaandZimbabwe.

6.2.5 MattersarisingfromYMYearly Meeting Treasurer’s concern on payment of quotas: Bulawayo Quaker Meeting

FY1415quotas:onlyninepaidtheirquotas.Itwasagreedthatthequotaperyearbe$30to

besplitinthreeparts—$10forthemeetingexpenses,$10goestoC&SAYMand$10isfor

thelocalcompassionfund.FinYr15/16sofaronlythreemembershavepaidtheirquotas

andonehasmadepartpayment.

33

6.2.6 FinancialPositionason26Feb2016BULAWAYOQMACCOUNTSSUMMARYAllaccountsareinUSdollars(USD)

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

The Bursary Fund is a fund for Zimbabwe Secondary School Bursary Scheme: currently

fundsaresourcedinUKbyFriendsofHlekweniTrustees–UK.

TheHouseFundaccumulatesfromrentalspaidbythetenants.Purposeofthefundisfor

the property maintenance and currently extension work of the main house and an

extensiontotheexistingCottage.Bothfoundationshavebeenlaiddownandpassedbythe

CityCouncilinspector.

TheBulawayoMeetingaccountisafundfrompartquotapaymentsformeetingexpenses

e.g.teaprovisions.

The Bulawayo Compassion Fund accumulates from part quota payments and in Fin Yr

14/15thefundwasboostedbydonations.

The Eveline Cadbury Fund is funded by ECTF – SA for local travel, YM gatherings

accommodation&journeysandICTsubscriptions.

TheSuspense&DebtorsAccountisanaccountforfundswaitingforclarificationandloans

tomembersfromthismoneypool.

6.2.7 LiaisonwithotherOrganizationandInstitutions6.2.7.1 ThemeetingmaintainslinkswithHarareMonthlyMeeting.

6.2.7.2 Schoolsattendedbystudentssponsoredbythebursaryfund.

6.2.7.3 LiaisonwithFriendsofHlekweniTrustees.AgnesNdhlovuis involvedinactivitiesrunbyFriendsofHlekweni.

6.2.7.4 MeriwetherFoundationtrustthroughPhillemonChirimambowa.

6.2.8 General:OtherConcerns/Matters6.2.8.1 ThemeetingdecidedtochangeBulawayoMonthlyMeeting toBulawayoQuakerMeet-

ing.Thisdecisionwaspromptedbytheopeningofthebankaccount.Themeetingconsti-

tutionwith the bank carries BulawayoQuakerMeeting. Themain reasonwas avoiding

BMMthatcouldmeanBotswanaMonthlyMeeting.

34

6.2.8.2 Starvation:someFriendshaveappliedfor foodassistancetoYMCompassionFund.ThelocalCompassionFundiscurrentlybuyingsomemaizemealforthosewhoappliedwhilst

waitingforaresponsefromYMCompassionFundTrustees.

6.2.8.3 Loans:Thepay-backdateoftheamountborrowediscausingconcern.

SolomonMakadzange,Clerk

27February2016

2016/10MINUTE—BULAWAYO

FriendsofHlekweniTrustappreciatetheongoingrelationshipwithBulawayo:Lee&Jessicaspent

amonthwithBQMandDavidBrownalso visited. The trustdoes fundraising that supports the

Bursaryschemeforneedystudents.

ThedetailsoftheloansstillowingbyfriendstoBQMwerediscussedindetail.

Ways in which C&SAYM can assist alleviating hunger among Friends will be explored with the

QuakerFundsCommittee.

6.3 CAPEEASTERNREGIONALMEETING6.3.1 Membership

Port Elizabeth Members: John Blair, Jennifer Bowler, Wendy Nunn, Kholekile Tshanga,

AngusMorton;Attenders:JohnandPatBartels,LornaMortonandThaliaEccles(untilher

returntoEnglandinmid-2015).

Grahamstown Members: Rosemary Smith, Adrienne Whisson, Wouter and Helen

Holleman,SusanWinters-Cook,DoreenBekker,CheRoberts,RommelRoberts,Paulineand

Les Mitchell, RodWoollgar, Rosemary and Talbot Elliott, Gisela Zipp (Isolated Friend in

China).

Attenders: Felicity Edwards, Wendy Viljoen, Julia Mann, Liz Gowans, Zukiswa Gobevu,

LouiseKrueger,LizCampbell.

Rosemary and Talbot Elliott are in an old age home in Kirkwood and, although they are

difficulttocontactbecauseRosemarynolongerhasacellphoneandit isdifficultforthe

stafftobringthelandlinetoher,wesendthemawrittenmessageeveryregionalmeeting

andAdriennekeepsincontactwiththeirson,Phillip.

GiselaZipppaidafleeting,surprisevisittoGrahamstownfromChinawheresheisstillvery

35

happyteachingEnglishtojuniorschoolchildren.

MeetingsinPortElizabethareheldonthefirstandthirdSundayofeverymonth.Thefirst

Sundayisastudygroup,andthethirdisaMeetingforWorship.

Meetings in Grahamstown are held every second Sunday; one Sunday is Meeting for

Worship, and the following fortnight,Meeting forWorship is shortened andmore time

giventodiscussingtopicsthatthegrouphasagreedon.AttendanceatMeetingsaverages

seventoeightFriendsandattenders.

6.3.2 Inter-visitationHelen andWouter Holleman have attended CapeWesternMonthlyMeeting on several

visitstoCapeTown.InhercapacityasCo-clerkofYearlyMeeting,HelenvisitedMeetingsin

Windhoek,GaboroneandMaseruinFebruary2016.

6.3.3 SpiritualLifeoftheMeetingPortElizabethMeetinghasbeenworkingthroughtheGospelsusingthecommentariesof

William Barclay, starting withMatthew, which offers a very good understanding of the

contextofthelifeofJesus.Progressthroughthematerial isslow,butthediscussionsare

wonderfulathelpingtounpackthe issuesandrelatethebiblical teachingandcontextto

ourowntime.

GrahamstownMeetinghasexplored issuesof living theQuaker testimonies:Howdowe

live simply? How do we practice equality in our lives? How do we apply the peace

testimony to the xenophobia inGrahamstown?Wehavewatched the disturbing videos,

The end of poverty? Think again, andMiners shot down, and struggledwith the role of

Quakersinthosesituations.Sharingideasandviewshasbeenstimulatingandenlightening.

We have also – on one occasion – done a little circle dancing, which is a wonderful,

meditativeactivity.

TheMeetinghasaconsiderablelibrarywhichisnowstoredineightsealableplasticboxes,

four of which are housed in Port Elizabeth and four in Grahamstown. They will be

exchangedfromtimetotime.AlistoftheholdingsisavailabletoFriendsfromanyother

Meetingswhowanttoborrowbooks.

6.3.4 ContributionstoServiceandSocialJusticeSomeFriendsfindtheircontributionintheveryworktheydo:JenniferBowlerlecturesin

social justice at NMMU, and uses the opportunity to alert her students to the central

notion of social justice within capitalism. Wendy Nunn, who is one of the group of

supportersoftheChildren’sFeedingTrustinPortElizabeth,doespro-bonoworkaspartof

herpsychologypractice.

Kholekile Tshanga has a group of people interested in a gardening project in Walmer

Township,buthasrecentlystruggledtogetseedsdonated.

36

RosemarySmithisthesecretaryoftheAlbanyHospitalBoard,Settlers’Hospital,whereshe

has introduced the Board to the practice of taking minutes Quaker style! She is also a

foundermemberof theFriendsof theLibraryCommittee inGrahamstownand foryears

has driven the fund-raising activities by organising speakers twice a month on a wide

variety of topics. The efforts of the Library Committee have raised funds for two rural

libraries,amobilelibrary,andeightlibrariesingreaterGrahamstown.

AdrienneWhissonhasbeenamemberoftheGrahamstownFeedingAssociationsince its

inception and at present is acting Chairperson. The organisation supplies hot soup and

bread to about 700 people everyMonday to Friday from three bases in Grahamstown.

AlthoughshehassteppeddownasChairperson,AdriennecontinuestoserveontheCorner

HouseCommitteewhich runsagrouphome forpeoplewithpsychiatricproblemswhose

families areunable to care for them.Shewas recently appointedDeputyChairpersonof

theAlbanyHospitalBoardonwhichshehasservedforsixteenyears.Sheisalsoactivein

the Grahamstown Training College Fund, the interest on the investments of which is

distributedannuallytoanumberofappropriateeducationalinstitutions.

PaulineandLesMitchellhavereturnedtoGrahamstownwheretheycontinuetheirwork

withAVP.

HelenHollemanhasbeeninvolvedwiththeWaterforDignitygroupfromJoza,capturing

the data they collect from interviewswith residents in the township in connectionwith

water problems. Their aim is to provide the Municipality with information that the

Municipalitycan thenacton.WouterHolleman is treasurerofCERMaswellasEditorof

SAQN.

The Meeting supported two GADRA Matric Students who successfully completed their

matricexams.TheMeetingalsocontributedfoodandcookingequipmenttothevictimsof

xenophobiainGrahamstowninOctober2015.

6.3.5 FinancialpositionCERMIncomeandExpenditurefor2014/15

* This amount does not formpart of the income, but is held in the bank account, ring-

fencedforSAQN.

Wehavebeenblessedwithagenerousmonthlydonationto theRosemaryMullins fund,

whichtodate,hasbeenusedtopurchaseresourcesfortheMeeting.

6.3.6 Liaisonwithotherorganisations,churchesandinstitutionsHelenHollemanattendedameetingcalledbytheMinistersFraternal(GrahamstownEast)

inconnectionwithconcernsaboutthelevelsofcrimeinGrahamstown.

CERMwasinvitedtojoinSpiritFest2016,heldduringtheNationalArtsFestival,butisnot

inapositiontodosothisyear.Wehopetheinvitationwillberepeatednextyear.

37

6.4 CAPEWESTERNMONTHLYMEETINGCape Western Monthly Meeting (CWMM) consists of two local meetings; Cape Town

Meeting and South Peninsula Meeting. Meetings for Worship for Business are held

alternately between these twomeetings. The Cape TownMeetingmeets on Sundays at

09.30atQuakerHouseinMowbray.

The South Peninsula Meeting meets at 10.00 am in members’ homes in the Lakeside

/Simon’sTown/ScarboroughareaseverysecondweekforMFWwithoccasionaladditional

meetings.

6.4.1 MembershipCAPETOWNMEETING

ActiveMembers: 23

Attenders: 7

VisitingMembers: 2

Absent/inactivemembers: 0

Children/JuniorMembersandYoungFriends: 1

NewMembersbyname:SophieRandriamahefasoa 0

Whohasleftbyname:none 0

Weddings,BirthsandDeaths:JohnBroom 1

AverageAttendance:MeetingforWorship:20 20

BusinessMeeting:(CWMMMWBarejointmeetingswithSouthPeninsula) 15

SOUTHPENINSULAMEETING

ActiveMembers: 10

Attenders: 2

VisitingMembers: 0

Absent/inactivemembers: 0

Children/JuniorMembers: 3

NewMembersbyname:KevinJohannson 1

38

Whohasleftbyname: 0

Weddings,BirthsandDeaths:None 0

AverageAttendance:MeetingforWorship:,BusinessMeeting:(asabove) 15

6.4.2 IntervisitationVisitsbyMembers/Attenders:MembersofourmeetingvisitedmeetingsinUSA.

VisitsfromotherMembers/Attenders:WehadseveralvisitorsfromUSA,AustraliaandUK.

6.4.3 SpiritualLifeoftheMeetingStateoftheMeeting:Membershipremainsfairlysteady;about20peopleattendworship

eachweekatMowbrayandapprox7atSouthPeninsula.

Howmeetingisencouragingthespirituallifeofthemembers:Theprayergroupnolonger

meetasagroupbuttelephoneprayerrequeststooneanother (oneQuakerandoneex-

Quaker)andprayattheirrespectivehomeseveryweek.

A small groupofQuakersmeet in the homeof an attenderwho is not able to come to

meetingatMowbray.

AdiscussiongroupmeetsatQuakerHouseonthefirstSundayofthemonth.

AretreatwasheldatStRaphael’sinAprilattendedby30adultsandyoungpeopleonthe

theme “Deepening our Quaker Experience”. Felicity Kaal from UK led a session on

“OpeningtotheLight”andothermembersaddressedotherrelevantthemes.

6.4.4 ContributionstoServiceandSocialJusticeMembersareinvolvedwithmanyactivities.SeveralmembersofCWMMbelongtoQuaker

Service Cape, others are members of, and on the Board of the Quaker Peace Centre.

Membershavealsobeenvery involvedinspiritualcounsellingata localhospice,working

with users or survivors of psychiatric services as well as environmental, health, human

rightsandinternationalaffairs.

Professionally there are members working with NPO’s concerned with early childhood

education,post-matriceducationandearlychildhoodwelfare.

Somememberswhosupporteda lettertotheCapeTimes inNovember2013concerning

theperceived threat todemocracy in theWesternCapeare still active in theConcerned

Citizens Group that arose out of that concern and are helping to organise workshops

dealingwithhousingandsanitationintheCapeTownregion.

39

6.4.5 MattersArisingfromYMMinutesSeveralmeetingswereheldfollowingtheconcernregardingviolenceinSouthAfrica.Afilm

aboutthelifeofAlbieSacksentitledSoftVengeancewasshownatQuakerHouseon17July

andAlbie Sackswas present to answer questions. Another film about the life of Bayard

Rustin—Quakercivilrightsorganiserandactivist—wasshownon28August.

6.4.6 FinancialPosition:(asat13/12/2015)

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

6.4.7 LiaisonwithotherOrganisations,ChurchesorInstitutionsWe are members of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum, South African Faith

CommunitiesEnvironmentalInstituteandCapeTownInterfaithInitiative.

6.4.8 General:otherconcernsormattersWehavecontinued7-minutetalksonvariousthemesattheendofmeetingforworshipat

CapeTown.

Wehaveanincreasinglyageingmembershipthatwillneedmoresupportastimegoeson.

TherearefewYoungFriendsandtheyattendveryirregularly.

Dividing the roleof clerkbetween threepeople, each serving for fourmonths, proveda

goodwayofspreadingtheworkload.Italsoprovidedopportunitiesforlearningforthose

memberswhohadbeen lessactively involvedbefore.Therehasbeengoodco-operation

andhand-overbetweenthethreeclerks.

AttendanceatMWBismuch improved,averaging15people.BykeepingMWBtoapprox

onehour people are able to attend and structure their time. Tomanage this it requires

FriendstobemindfuloftheQuakerprocessandonlytoaddressatopiconceifpossible.

2016/11MINUTE—CWMM

CWMMwasaskedtodoatestimonytothelifeOFJohnBroomfornextYearlyMeeting.

Theclerkshaveoffered to supportCWMM in strengthening theirmeetingespecially in creating

continuitybetweenclerksandthetwomeetings.Thethreeco-clerksarecurrentlysharingclerking

fortheyear.

40

6.5 HARAREMONTHLYMEETING6.5.1 Membership

Members 6

Attender 1

YoungAdultattender 1

6.5.2 Inter-visitationWehavehad threepeoplewhowork forAFSC (American Friends ServiceCommittee) in

Kenyaformeetingforworship.Wealsohaveavisitor,SarahJoyLeitch,amemberofthe

HebdenBridgeMeetinginYorkshireinEngland.

6.5.3 SpiritualLifeoftheMeetingWhenwehadQuakerwardens,aclose-knitfamilyhadformed.Fewaswealwaysare,we

are still bonded to each other, though we feel a gap created by Richard and Pushpa’s

departuretoUSA.Westill readasegmentofAdvicesandQueries thefirstSundayofthe

monthinthemeetingforworship.WhenIanandLingleavefortheUKattheendofMarch,

therewillbeafurthergapintheMeetingforWorship.

6.5.4 ContributiontoServiceandSocialWitnessThemeetinghasdonated small amounts to theorphanage that is rununderMulti-Help-

Trust. The number of children has gone down as some have been relocated by Social

Services.

Asameeting,wehavebeenpayingschoolfeesforthreestudentswhosesituationscalled

for help and who are known tomembers.Margaret Nhembe has been involved in this

Bursaryfund.

Wewatchout for localactivities thatwecanparticipate in,butso farwehavenotdone

one.

6.5.5 FinancialPositionThemeetinghasitsincomefromrentingthecottageonthepremises,aswellasfromtwo

or three other Church groups that use our hall.We also received donations from some

Quakersources.

Dues have remained at 12US$ per person and we have urged members to commit to

payingthisdespitethe financialdifficulties.Thebankingsystemhasnotchangedandwe

havenotchangedeitherthewaywelookafterourfinances.

41

6.5.6 LiaisonwithOtherOrganisationsThe financial requirement has still been prohibitive for us to join Zimbabwe Council of

Churches.

6.5.7 OutreachWeshallhavetothinkandprayaboutthewaytoreachouttopeopleatlargeinaQuakerly

way.Buildingnumbersisgoodwiththededicatedandunderstandingpeople.

6.5.8 GeneralIthasnotbeeneasy tosettle the issueofwardenship.Wehaveresolved toenter intoa

month’sleaseagreementatatimeuntilwegetasuitabletenantorQuakerwarden.

BenoniaNyakuwanikwa(ClerkHarareMonthlyMeeting)

28thFeb2016

2016/12MINUTE—HARARE

JenniferKavanaghsuggestedthattherecouldbecommunicationbetweenHMMandWestminster

MMabouthowtosupportHMM.

The clerks suggested that HMM explore outreach possibilities or Quaker Quest as a way of

growingthemeeting.

6.6 JOHANNESBURGMONTHLYMEETING2015was a yearof significant change for Johannesburg Friends.Aftermeeting formore

than50yearsinQuakerHouseat3GordonTerrace,Doornfontein,itbecamecleartousall

that the time had come for us to move. A series of break-ins coupled with seemingly

endless problems regardingmaintenance and utilities helped Friends to realize that our

continuedownershipofthebuildingwasnolongerfeasible.

Several potential buyers came forward, but somehow the sales never carried through.

Eventually,agroupofyoungengineersboughtQuakerHousewiththeintentionofturning

it into student accommodation. Following the sale in October, an intense period of

organizing and clearing the building followed. The new owners expressed the need to

beginworkonDecember1inordertobeabletoaccommodatethestudentswhowould

be arriving in early 2016. Several Friendsworked extremely hard throughout November

distributingfurniture,sortingbooks,andclearingcupboards.

ThedreamofthenewownershasfinallybeenrealizedandtheoldQuakerHouseisnow

hometo17Universityof Johannesburgstudentsplusour formercaretakerwhowillalso

remainthere.

42

OtherQuakeractivitiescontinuedtotakeplacethroughoutthisrathertumultuousyear.

WeweredelightedtovisitandbevisitedbyournearneighboursinthePretoriaWorship

Groupthisyear.AparticularlyfestiveoccasionwashostedbythemlastAugustwhenwe

joined together for Meeting followed by fellowship at the Theosophical building in

Pretoria.We are happy to learn that Pretoria Friends have now started the process of

becomingaMonthlyMeeting.

Experiment with Light groups have taken place following Meeting for Worship several

timesduringtheyear.Friendsfounditparticularlyhelpfultohavethesesessionswhilein

theprocessofdiscerningthebestwayforwardforthesaleofQuakerHouse.

Children’s Meeting has continued to meet on the First Sunday of every month, with a

varyingnumberofchildrenattending.

6.6.1 Membership

AttendanceatMeetingforWorshiphas increasedsincethemovetoournewvenuehigh

abovetheWitsArtMuseuminBraamfontein.Thenumbergenerallyvariesfrom10–20on

a Sunday morning. Three regular attenders have given stalwart support during recent

monthsandour connectionwithmoreoccasional attendershasbeen strengthened.Our

membershipnumberisnow21.

Two Friends with deep connections to JMM passed away in 2015. Our former warden,

Trevor Kerr died in Englandwhere he has lived for a number of years.Our long-serving

member, IainGrayer,diedaftera long illness.WehelpedhiswidowSaskia inplanninga

QuakermemorialservicewhichwasheldattheirhomeoutsidePretoriaandattendedby

manyfriends,relatives,andformerworkcolleagues.

Wecontinue to communicatewitheachotherby telephone, theMeetingemail list, and

ourWhatsAppgroup–aswellasface-to-face!

6.6.2 FellowshipMid-weekgatheringshavebeen rather irregularduring thepast year andourhope is to

havethemonamoreregularbasisgoingforward.

Wedid,however,haveseveralThursdaymorninggatherings.Wemadea“PrayerShawl”

andbroughtittooneofourmembersfromSowetowhohadbeenillandunabletocome

toMeetingforsometime.WeenjoyedhavingMeetingwithherinherhome.

WealsovisitedtheOriginsCentreatWitstogetherfollowingMeetinginMay.

AnotherhappytimetogetherwasspentatapicnicunderthetreesatEmmarentiaDamlast

May.

AweekendretreatwasheldatSt.Benedict’s inRosettenvilleat theendofOctober.The

themewas“TransitionsinOurLives”.TenFriendsattended.

43

6.6.3 OutreachWehavehadseveral“QuakerQuest”sessionsthroughouttheyear.

Our“10-minuteTalks”heldoncepermonthenableustohearfromvisitorsaswellasour

ownmembers and have provided insight into the many positive efforts taking place in

SouthAfrica.

Severalofourmemberscontinuetobe involved inthe“AlternativestoViolenceProject”

andtwoattendedthenationalgatheringwhichwasheldinPortElizabethlastAugust.

Severalofourmemberstookpart inthemarchheld inresponsetoxenophobia lastApril

and also the Anti-Corruptionmarch held in Pretoria last September. One of our Friends

evenappearedontelevision!

Johannesburg Friends look forward to another active year of involvement as we find

supportandfriendshiptogetherinfacingthechallengesofourchangingsociety.

ElizabethRoper

BetsyCoville

Co-Clerks,JohannesburgMonthlyMeeting

6.6.4 FinancialReports

FIGURESINQUAKERRECORDS

ColinGlen

JMM

2016/13MINUTE—JMM

Theflourishingchildren’smeetinghasbeenaparticulargifttothemeetingasitbuildsthemeeting

andsupportsparentstoattendMeetingforWorship.

FriendsappreciatedthehospitalityofJMMwhohostedfriendsattendingMYRM.

The meeting continues to support each other through QBIG which has been running for

approximately10yearsandhadcontributedtoafeelingofequalityandfriendshipinthemeeting.

44

6.7 KWAZULU-NATALMONTHLYMEETING

TheKZNMMconsistsoftwogroupings,inDurbanandPietermaritzburg.Eachgroupmeets

every Sunday, and we have joint meetings two or three times per year. In December

DurbanFriendshostedthejointmeetingatthehomeofJulieandMarkPovall.Ourplanned

sharedretreathadtobepostponed.

6.7.1 MembershipDurban:WehaveacoreoffivememberswhoattendMeetingforWorshipregularly,plusa

circleofanothertenorso(includingthoselivingfarfromDurban)whoattendoccasionally.

Twofriendswhowereregularattendersin2014and2015havere-located.

Pietermaritzburg:Threeofourmembersandoneattendermeet regularly forworshipat

the home of John Inglis and Marie Odendaal. We are occasionally joined by another

attenderandoneortwoyoungfriends.WehaveonceheldMfWattheHowickhomeofan

elderlyFriendwhorecentlyreturnedafter living inCapeTown,andplantorepeatthis in

2016.

6.7.2 SpirituallifeofthemeetingDurban: MfW is at the centre of our spiritual lives and we continue to find it very

meaningfulandmutuallyencouraging.Wealsohaveoccasionalhomemeetingseveryfew

months at which we discussmatters of interest, including watching recent Swarthmore

Lectures(theUKequivalentofourRichardGushlectures)fromtheWoodbrookewebsite.

Pietermaritzburg:MfWisourprimaryspaceforspiritualrenewalandsupportofeachother

asweexperiencepersonal,familyandprofessionalchallenges,whichhavebeenespecially

heavyforsomeofusoflate.Wecherishthestrengththatcomesfromoursharedsilence,

our‘afterwords’,andourfriendshipandFriendship.WewerejoinedinoneMfWbyvisitors

fromHowickwhosharedwithustheirstrugglestoliveanalternativeeco-friendlylifestyle.

Oneofourco-clerksparticipatedintheWoodbrookeclerkingcourse.

6.7.3 ContributionstoserviceandsocialjusticeDurban:We continue to be heavily involved in a range of concerns, including the South

AfricanFaithCommunitiesEnvironmentalInitiative,DiakoniaCouncilofChurches,Phoenix

Zululand,AmnestyInternational,theDenisHurleyCentreandtheInternationalCentrefor

NonviolenceatDurbanUniversityofTechnology.

Pietermaritzburg:MembersareactiveinoractivelysupportingtheAlternativestoViolence

Project in KZN, southern Africa and Africa Region, and internationally; and th