A dedicated Community Builder

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Petrina Roberts, who died on 14 August 2024.
    Petrina was a founder member of the Princess Forum, and served on its first Management Committee for three years. She was a tireless organiser, involved in planting, picketing, and organising a multifaith protest meeting against the proposed shopping mall at Princess Vlei.
     She was an active force in MENNGOS, the Micro Enterprise Network of Non-Governmental organisations, and was devoted to building community networks and  small business initiatives. For several years, she ran an organic and craft market at the Jolly Carp, creating many opportunities for local vegetable growers, crafts people and bakers. Under her tireless guidance, the Jolly Carp became a hub of community activity,hosting coommunity meetings and events and music concerts such as the annual Jazz on the Vlei. She transformed the once-neglected historical site  next to the Vlei, into a beautiful, creative, thriving space, with organic vegetable gardens, children's play structures, and rooms for meetings and workshops.
    She was a devoted animal lover, and took in dogs who needed homes. She was civic-minded and a community builder. She had a passion for developing people, and helping them to acquire skills. She organised food gardens, taught people to grow food in order to become self-sufficient. She was well known in The Eastern Cape where she worked in villages, including Marx village. She taught people to grow food and to raise funds for their communities. She was public relations officer for CAFDA and worked tirelessly to make it well-known  in the Western Cape.
    Petrina was a familiar figure at Princess Vlei, with her small grey dog who came with her to all the plantings. Many of the plants thriving at the vlei today were planted by her. She had a vision of a cohesive and thriving community, and worked hard to ensure that the seeds for that vision were sewn and nurtured. We will miss her.