“My tears have been wiped away and I have been given a new lease on life.”

These were the heartwarming words of a 72-year-old pension-er from Mandeni north of Dur-ban who was raped last month when she was handed a new fully furnished house by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha to mark Mandela’s birthday today.

Hambelaphi Mhlongo was raped in front of her grandchil-dren last year. She shared a plank-built shack with her five grandchildren. “This incident left me devastated, but today my tears have been wiped away,” said Mhlongo.

The MEC began the Mandela Day at 6am in Ndwedwe area where she also handed over school uniforms to three chil-dren whose house was burnt by a faulty electricity cable in the area. She also handed over a grocery to a Luthuli family that lost an 18-month-old child last week who died after a mud structure collapsed on her last week. Preparations are under-way to build a proper house for the family.

Sibhidla-Saphetha said that one

of the values espoused by Man-

dela was that of a better life for

all.” I am pleased that today we

have been able to make a dif-

ference to the lives of many

people in the province,” said

Sibhidla-Saphetha

SWIFT SERVICE DELIVERY INTERVENTIONS IN NDWEDWE

The community of Ndwedwe benefited from the swift inter-vention by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation Mrs Ntombikay-ise Sibhidla-Saphetha who is also the Ilembe District Opera-tion Sukuma Sakhe Champion, when she visited the rural com-

munity of Ndwedwe to assess service delivery challenges in the area.

The MEC led a delegation of government officials from differ-ent departments such as Hous-ing, Health, COGTA, Social Development, Home Affairs and

Agriculture who addressed challenges plagu-ing the community on the spot. The MEC also assessed the progress that has been made in delivering basic infrastructure in the area. Five destitute families have been prioritised to re-ceive housing infrastructure, food vouchers and blankets then.

ILEMBE DISTRCT OSS NEWSLETTER

JULY 2013 Volume 1, Issue 1

ILEMBE DISTRICT OSS

NEWSLETTER

Inside this issue:

NEW LEASE ON LIFE... 1

SWIFT SERVICE DELIVERY ... 1

KWADUKUZA COMMITTED ... 2

NDWEDWE WOMEN PRAYER DAY 3

MAPHUMULO IN ACTION ... 4

CONTACT DETAILS 5

NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR A RAPE SURVIVOR ON MANDELA

DAY

Mandeni Mayor Cllr Siphelele Zulu, Hambelaphi

Mhlongo, MEC Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha and

Ilembe Municipality Mayor Cllr Welcome Mdabe

sharing a light moment at Mhlongo's new home.

MEC Sibhidla-Saphetha handing over a school uniform to learners of Ndwedwe

KWADUKUZA Munici-pality (KDM), followed the United Nations’ global call to action in celebrating the idea that each individual has the power to bring about positive change on Mandela Day as former president turned 95 on 18 July. KDM Mayor Ricardo Mthembu on Thursday, celebrated Mandela's birthday by spending 67 minutes at the Stan-ger Provincial Hospital, pampering kiddies with toys and other good-ies.

This day follows the 2009 declaration by the United Nations as an annual international day in honour of Tata Mandela’s legacy. KwaDukuza's top brass did their bit as part of their 67 minutes pledge after joining Mthembu in spreading love and hope to children who were admitted at the hospital. KwaDukuza Deputy Mayor Dolly Govender, Speaker Thulani Khu-luse and ILembe Dis-trict Municipality Speak-er Thokozani Msweli were among the famil-

iar faces. Mthembu joined in the birthday song that was dedicated to the peace icon before addressing the public. He was ac-companied by well wish-ers who gathered out-side the hospital on a

prayer session for the ail-ing statesman who report-edly remains in a stable condition at Mediclinic Heart hospital in Pretoria. The struggle icon spent his birthday in hospital after he was admitted for recurring lung infection on 08 June. Mthembu wished the ‘birthday boy’ a speedy recovery. He said that the visit remains significant while the peace icon is still flat on his back. ‘As our hero recovers in hospital, we must continue with prayers for his speedy recovery. The United na-tion declaration speaks volumes of the love that the people have for him and the great work that he has done towards the lib-eration of our people. This occasion is significant as part of representing his interests and actions in promoting what he stands for as the father of the na-tion. This day remains spe-cial in the history and for the future of our country; it must be celebrated by everyone who believes in peace and unity,’ Seen by many as a politi-cal messiah, the treason trialist became South Afri-ca's first black president in 1994. He led the country into reconciliation following his release after 27 years of imprisonment in Robben Island.

Mayor Mthembu honours Mandela’s ideals

Page 2 ILEMBE DISTRICT OSS

NEWSLETTER

Left: KwaDukuza Mayor, Ricardo Mthembu, Ilembe District Municipality: Cllr Thokozani Msweli and KwaDukuza Deputy Mayor: Cllr Dolly Govender.

Elderly couple finally rescued from the bottomless

pit of poverty. Front, Ward 3, Nonoti elderly couple,

Ms. Shiwe Dolwane and Mr. Tshiki Sidelo during the

official handover of their four roomed house donat-

ed by KwaDukuza Mayor, Ricardo Mthembu. Mthem-

bu is seen here standing behind the couple with the

government officials and business people as the

local community applauds his humanitarian gesture

NDWEDWE WOMEN PRAYER DAY FOR SOCIAL ILLS

nities with Ndwed-we Municipality. In these difficult and trying times facing many communities in the country and internationally, prayer is one of the solutions which can contrib-ute positively in shaping the socie-ty and getting the youth to actively participate in their own development. There was a street parade by different church formations before assembling to a prayer point started at 8h30.

Government Com-munication & Infor-mation System in partnership with Ndwedwe Frater-nal and other vari-ous stakeholders to hosted a wom-en prayer day for all social ills in Ndwedwe area. Many areas under the Ndwedwe Mu-nicipality are rav-aged by the scourge of HIV/AIDS particularly among the youth. Drugs and alcohol abuse appears to be another chal-lenge which is fac-ing many commu-

Page 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

Ndwedwe Mayor Cllr Maxwell Hadebe was physically assisting during the construction of Gogo Khambule’s house in Ndwedwe ward 1 as par t of his 67 minutes during Mandela Day.

Left: LTT technical chairperson : Mrs Nombulelo Mhlongo, Maphumulo Mayor Cllr Happy Ngcobo and an official handing over a bed and a linen to Gogo Msipha family at ward 9 on Mandela Day

Government departments have a brief presentation on services they render, but due to time constraint two dept. presented.

Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs

Ms Msomi from the department of agriculture presented on the services that are offered by the department of agriculture at kwa-Maphumulo. She then answered a question about the types of seeds that are offered by the department, and she also talked about their departmental project one home one garden; aim of the

project is to eradicate poverty in the community.

Mrs NC Mhlongo from Department of social de-velopment briefing sms members during the PSVW at Maphumulo Chambers

The local Municipal Mayor; Cllr H. Ngcobo attended a war room in ward 01, the following households were visited

Lemina Nkwanyana: she’s bedridden and cannot walk due to operation, she stays alone and does not wish to be placed in an alternative care, her housing condi-tion in not suitable and it’s not safe

Hluphekile Ancien Zondi : an elderly taking care of her grandchildren with her pension, Zamo Zondi 16yrs of age, dropped out of school, does not have school uniform, her mother passed away and her father is unknown.

MAPHUMULO LTT IN ACTION DURING PSVW

ILEMBE OPERATION SUKUMA SAKHE

Together with committed leadership, creating sustainable livelihoods, through the provision of integrated services to communities, pro-

moting a better life for all.

MISSION

ILEMBE DISTRICT OPERATION

SUKUMA SAKHE

WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE

36/40 Chief Albert Luthuli Street Ok Mall Building, First Floor

Cell no., 072 1001 817 Email: bulungav@sassa.gov.za

ILEMBE OSS

Compiled and prepared

by Bonginkosi

Gumede:GCIS and

Bonie Ndlela: Health

VISION

To provide comprehensive, integrated and transversal services to communities through effective and efficient partnerships