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South Africa: Development Worker Places Community Interest at Heart
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
22 May 2008
Posted to the web 22 May 2008
Pretoria
A courageous Community Development Worker (CDW), Bonakele Mdlalose, 42, has put the needs of her community first to help improve the lives of citizens in the North West, writes Kagiso Metswamere.
While some residents in Khutsong were preoccupied with the transfer of the area from Gauteng to the North West, a courageous Ms Mdlalose stood tall for the development of her community despite the demarcation dispute.
Ms Mdlalose is a hard working woman whose passion for the development of her community has been inspired by poverty.
Fortunately for her, she was offered a one-year learnership programme for CDW's by the North West Department of Local Government and Housing in 2006.
After completing the training, which armed her with knowledge on different aspects of community development, she facilitated the grand establishment and registration of two co-operatives and three enterprises.
These include projects such as poultry farming, a piggery, a music band, transport services and a home-based care group.
The first project that she helped establish in 2007 is Katlego Ea Sechaba (The Nation's Success), which consists of more than 30 local women.
These women render home-based care services to the elderly and people living with HIV and AIDS in the community.
"Through this project called Katlego Ea Sechaba, we enter the households of people in our community, connect with citizens and determine what services are needed for them.
"We ensure that our people access services such as health, housing, agriculture, economic activity, education and training which are offered mostly by government," she told BuaNews.
Ms Mdlalose further said the project included door-to-door visits to patients, identifying their needs, monitoring their health and referring them to relevant institutions such as clinics or hospitals for further care or assistance.
However she acknowledged that even though there are challenges in the process of executing her duties, she is more determined to ensure that all community members get the assistance and services they deserve.
Some of the challenges, she cited, include the inability to secure funds for community development projects.
"My main aim is to assist people in our community; we do this work not for money but for the sake of our community.
"I do have challenges in my day to day operation but at least the support I get from government is making it easy for me to do my job," she said.
Another CDW, Tefo Pheto of Seweding, Ward 9 in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality told BuaNews that during his routine door-to-door visits he has assisted a six year-old child who could not walk and talk in his area.
"The child stays in a household with his poor mother who uses a pram to carry the young one around.
"So many people tried to assist this child but because of her condition nobody managed to give the child proper assistance," he said.
Mr Pheto added: "I contacted the physiotherapist at the local George Stegman Hospital and requested that the child be assisted.
"The physiotherapist at the hospital gave the child the necessary treatment and also arranged for the hospital to issue a wheelchair to the child, which she received a week later."
Earlier this year during a meeting with the CDW's in Rustenburg, MEC for Local Government and Housing, Howard Yawa reminded CDW's of their role in their communities.
"CDW's must at all times apply and be guided by the spirit and principles of Batho Pele, by putting people first and servicing people in a manner that has no ulterior motives or agendas.
"You must practice the principles of courtesy, care, consultation, transparency and respect that must be at the core of your interaction with our people and communities," MEC Yawa said at the time.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address earlier this year, President Thabo Mbeki said CDWs will help to increase the effectiveness of the system of local government by strengthening its awareness and capacity to respond to the needs of the people at local level.
"The government will create a public service echelon of multi-skilled community development workers who will maintain direct contact with the people where these masses live.
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"We are determined to ensure that government goes to the people so that we sharply improve the quality of the outcomes of public expenditures intended to raise the standard of living of our people," said the President at the time.
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