Mazwi’s Diary

Volunteer and improve your life

As I was reading one of the bi-weekly magazines I came across the following letter that was sent in by one reader. I decided to borrow it and use it in this publication. I think it is relevant to our plight. Now read on:

Having a tertiary qualification and being unemployed is frustrating. But more frustrating is waiting for the employment opportunity to come to you. The adage, good things come to those who wait, has been tried and tested. It has failed, because the only thing that will come to you is your death. That is for sure! In fact such a wait takes away your self and undermines your intelligence. For sure, starting a business without venture capital is also frustrating. Organisations and banks offer loans to budding entrepreneurs but their red tape can drive people crazy. Serving the community voluntarily is one way that can keep the graduates sane.

The following are the most crucial benefits of volunteering:

• Provides you with purpose in life, a foundation of happiness. In the process stress levels are reduced
• You can have fun
• Helping others with their problems can be therapeutic, especially if you’ve got the same problems
• Anger can be dealt with
• Training offered to volunteers free of charge by some organisations can help secure permanent employment.
• Today’s contacts established through volunteering can be tomorrow’s contracts.

The declaration of 2002 as the Year of the Volunteer is long overdue. It is encouraging to see our leaders giving a hand. Now is the time for us to do likewise. We can start at our nearest school – surely they need us to help them encourage and discipline our kids. The clinic is short-staffed – they could do with some help.

Late land claims still possible

Most of our readers may have seen that the Land Claims Commission has made big payouts to land claimants who resided in areas such as Umkhumbane before the dreaded Group Areas Act of the apartheid regime dispossessed them. As a result CMDA offices have been inundated with calls by people wishing to stake a claim with the Regional Land Claims Commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal.

Herewith is an attempt to guide our readers who still wish to submit a claim at this late stage. However it must be made clear that the deadline for submitting land claims expired more than three years ago.

Full details outlining the reason for not having submitted the claims timeously will have to be given to the Commissioner who will decide either to accept or refuse the late application.
“Unfortunately, the CMDA is not in a position to assist claimants with information to verify their claims,” said Neil Hazell, CMDA’s Land Manager.

The Killie Campbell Library at 220 Marriott Road, Durban, has inherited various records from the old Administration Board in respect of shack settlements in Durban.

People wishing to make enquiries at the Library must be forewarned that unless they know the shack number and area, no assistance will be possible. They should also have in possession a letter from the Commissioner confirming that the claim has been accepted.

For further enquiries write to: The Regional Land Claims Commissioner, KwaZulu Natal, Private Bag X 9120, Pietermaritzburg, 3200.

More housing opportunities
in Chesterville

Residents in the old Chesterville township will be glad to know that two housing projects are being prepared to alleviate overcrowding in the township. Approximately 300 homes will be delivered soon.

The Cato Manor Development Association has undertaken to facilitate the development of 240 units at a project that will be known as Chesterville Incremental Phase Two whilst the Unicity’s Department of Housing has undertaken to provide more than one hundred units at the Chesterville Infil.

The Chesterville Incremental Phase 2 project is situated between Ikhaya Housing Project and Incremental Phase One. The site is easily accessible from Booth Road. The vacant land between Mahlathi Road and A.B. Majola Road will be used for the Infil project.

Philani Zondi, Chairperson of the Chesterville Residents Association said: “Applications for allocations at the Infil has already been conducted and finalised. Street committees were involved in the process. The criteria used revolved around identifying households that were experiencing acute overcrowding. A process of verifying information received during that period is still underway. This is done so that mistakes of the past are eliminated.”

CMDA’s Heather Maxwell said that Locoh Housing has already been appointed to build ten show houses at the Incremental Phase 2. The construction of the remaining units as soon as the community approves of the show units.

Negotiations between the CRA and the CMDA to use some of the sites at the Incremental for relocation purposes are underway.

The Chesterville Residents Association (CRA) has gained a new lease of life. Perhaps this is due to the fact that most of its office bearers are professional people, ranging from qualified community development workers to teachers, project managers and town planners. Almost all of them are under the age of 35.

Members of the CRA (from left to right): Musa Nxumalo, in charge of religious matters, Zanele Ndzoyiya, Secretary responsible for the day-to-day administration of the CRA office, and Philani Zondi, Chairperson of the CRA.

The association is ably steered by emerging entrepreneur Philani Zondi, who is a member of the Chesterville Taxi Association. His deputy is Jabu-Jabu Mkhize – a stalwart of the liberation struggle. She also operates a nursery school in the township so it is not surprising that she is also head of welfare-related issues within the CRA.

Even though the new look CRA was nominated for office in June 2001, it took six months for it to make its presence felt. Sources closer to the CRA say this is due to the fact that office bearers were polishing their acts. Most of them had to undergo leadership skills training before they took up office.
Sports and Culture is headed by Sipho ‘Mshara’ Sithole and Thabsile Nsindane. Educational issues are under Mamotsau Thipe, Maureen Disha and Thandi Nduli - all qualified teachers. Local economic development programmes are managed by Zamo Ngobese and Khayelihle Zondi. Phumzile Kubheka is in charge of publicity. A newsletter, ‘Zithini ezaseBlekes’, compiled with assistance from all departments, is one of her responsibilities. The newsletter is published monthly and is available free of charge from the CRA office.

Musa Nxumalo and Linda Shusha are in charge of issues that relate to religion. Families that are entangled in disputes can consult with Sydney Majozi. Matters regarding transport issues are handled by Paulos Mthwane and Mlungisi Mchunu.

The CRA has its offices at the old clinic site along Mahlathi Road. Zanele Nzdoyiya is responsible for the day-to-day running of the office, which is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. She is also responsible for compiling a data base of all job seekers as well as emerging contractors within the Chesterville precinct. The office is also available to street committees if they need assistance.

The CRA has developed a strategy document which outlines its vision, policies and programmes. One interesting aspect of the strategy document is the attempt to foster a partnership with the other community organisations that proliferate the greater Chesterville area, which includes Jamaica, Chesterville Extension 1, 2 & 3 and the newly established Booth Road housing project. The document is readily available to members of the public.

According to the document the new CRA that will be launched when the current term of office expires will include representatives from these areas.