Page 26 - Rural Voice III - Responding to a Pandemic
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 ClarEnCE XiniWE
“I have grown spiritually, because of this learning process.”
COVID-19 CHALLENGES HAVE
BROUGHT SPIRITUAL GROWTH
clarence Xiniwe wriTes abouT how The covid-19 pandemic opened his eyes To The condiTions people live in and inspired him To do more
Mqanduli is part of the former Transkei. There is still a struggle between traditional leaders and elected councillors. The poor are the victims, because the power struggle affects them. People don’t know their rights and they are ill-treated by officials in the government departments.
We help the people who come from rural villages around Mqanduli. We intervene when they are unfairly treated by officials at the Departments of Home Affairs and Social Development. We also run community outreach workshops to educate people on the ground on how to fight for their right to good services.
how The pandemic impacTed The work of The mqanduli communiTy advice office in The communiTy
It was in March 2020 when I heard about COVID-19. Since then, about ten people have passed away in Mqanduli. Some had diabetes and some were older people. In the beginning, people were shocked, because they didn’t know this disease and they could not go to the shops. There were no government services and the hospital was closed. People were afraid.
MQANDULI COMMUNITY ADVICE OFFICE
Established in 1996, the main activities of the Mqanduli Community Advice Office are as follows: human rights education and access to justice; labour rights and learnership programmes for ex-mine workers; counselling; paralegal support; youth development, promoting women and children’s rights; lobbying of stakeholders; assisting in the establishment of income generating projects, such as early childhood development centres, poultry projects, vegetable and crop growing projects; assisting the community with access to social grants; and community outreach on human rights and taking Parliament to the people.
DISTRICT: OR Tambo District Municipality
COVID-19 CASES: From March to the end of October 2020, there were 13,052 cases of COVID-19 reported in the OR Tambo District Municipality of the Eastern Cape. There were 386 fatalities.
DIRECTORS: Clarence Xiniwe
NUMBER OF STAFF: 4, NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS: 4
BOARD CHAIR: Zizwe Stephen Dano
BOARD MEMBERS: J.S Sonakele (Deputy Chairperson); Lindiwe Mabindisa (Treasurer); Nombulelo Madlenyana (Secretary); Sandile Sikhokho (Deputy Secretary); Eddison Mhlehliswa; Mirriam Mwelase
ADDRESS: c/o Main Street (behind Post Office), Department of Agriculture premises, Private Bag X 569, Mqanduli, 5080
PHONE: 047 573 1041, EMAIL: mqanduliadviceoffice@gmail.com
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