From an article in a South African newspaper. Don't know what paper or the date yet but the case is ongoing in SA courts now.

Article is also posted to ABS.

This is the article:

CHURCH GROUPS IN RIVAL BIDS FOR OLD WOODMEAD SCHOOL By Matthew [?] The Church of Scientology is one of the bidders for the old Woodmead school in Sandton, and has plans to establish a management and training centre there.

The school was one of the first in the country to offer non- racial education, and the institution became well known for its innovative approach to learning.

The Scripture Union has also bid R3-million for the property and buildings and intends to establish a training college for young Christians.

The Scientologists are prepared to pay R3.4-million, and would establish an ecclesiastical management and training centre, responsible for the establishment and care of all Scientology churches and missionaries throughout Africa.

The Woodmead school is one of several properties the church is looking at for this purpose.

The founder and first headmaster, Steyn Krige, started the school in 1970 with 50 pupils.

Bob Glenister, a shareholder on the board that administers the property, said the school, which was struggling financially was closed in 1999.

He said he opposed the sale of the 35-hectare property and buildings to the Church of Scientology.

The church, which is no stranger to controvercy, received the government's stamp of approval in March, when the Department of Home Affairs granted 12 ministers permission to perform marriages.

[END ARTICLE] Best wishes, SP4 & Adm. TOXE CXI Andreas Heldal-Lund, Normannsgaten 9, N-4013 Stavanger, Norway Pho: +47 88 00 66 66 Fax: 90 32 35 46 E-mail: heldal@online.no home.sol.no/~spirous www.xenu.net www.hedning.no/hedning --------------------------------------------------------------- "Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph."

- Haile Selassie ---------------------------------------------------------------

I just got hold of a letter from Church of Scientology Continental Liaison Office Africa (signed Stephen J. Wills who is the chairman on the board of CoS in South Africa).

It is date 19.04.2000 and addressed to "whom it may concern".

It is titled: "RE: Intention of the Church of Scientology of South Africa regarding the property known as The Remaining Extent Of Portion 14 Of The Farm Nietgedacht No. 535 [...], in the province of Gauteng."

Some other quotes from the 3 page letter:

"To date there have been 250,000 to 300,000 children in South Africa reached with [the Drug Free Marshals] program and we have had fantastic feedback from the members of the community connected with this."

The property will be used for the head office for their "secular activity" called ABLE. To explain what ABLE do they write:

"One of the ABLE programs is education. To date we have had over 1 million children contacted and given lectures on the Study Technology of L. Ron hubbard, Founder of the Scientology Religion.

"40,000 children have completed courses in Study Technology and literally thousands of teachers have been trained in this study technology."

Success stories from "teachers and terminals" were of course attached to the letter.

"In Pretoria right now we have a program in the Pretoria Magistrates Court for minors being faced with criminal charges. They are sent to our program there and put through a handling on study (some of these children have been virtually illiterate), a basic moral code that is non- religious in nature (I have attached a copy of this - The Way to Happiness). The children get through a de-toxification program and courses on Personal Integrity and how to recognize the "good hats" and "bad hats" and steer clear of future trouble. These children have their own realizations and we have had remarkable success. There is a very high success rate with 82% of the children trough this program remaining crime and drug free after this program.

"Additionally we have a program in the Pretoria Magistrates Court where we have Church Member assist. This is specifically in the area of child abuse (rape) and these Church members are there to be a friend for the victims and their families at a time that is very upsetting for them.

They give them tea and coffee, food, show them around the Court, explain how the Court system works and answer any questions, etc. This is done as a totally voluntary activity.

The Chief Magistrate at the Court House is very pleased with the work of this group."

"The whole use of this property will be geared towards expanding these programs into society here. Children are a particular concern of ours as the children are the future.

Mr. Hubbard was quoted as saying 'Save the Child and you Save the Nation'."

I got scans of the whole letter.

Best wishes, SP4 & Adm. TOXE CXI Andreas Heldal-Lund, Normannsgaten 9, N-4013 Stavanger, Norway Pho: +47 88 00 66 66 Fax: 90 32 35 46 E-mail: heldal@online.no home.sol.no/~spirous www.xenu.net www.hedning.no/hedning --------------------------------------------------------------- "Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph."

- Haile Selassie ---------------------------------------------------------------

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