Page 102 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

YOUTH
SANDVELD
LOCAL DEVELOpmENT AgENCy
Graafwater is a small rural town in the Sandveld region of the Western Cape along the West Coast, 300km from Cape Town. The town which is named after the Afrikaans term for “digging for water”1 lies midway between Clanwilliam and Lambertsbaai2 and was built as a railway junction in 1910, for agricultural products from Clanwilliam and seafood products from Lambert’s Bay to be transported. It falls under the Cederberg Local Municipality which is bordered by the Cederberg Mountains in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The main economic activities in the municipal district are agriculture, forestry and fishing (25.7%), wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation (17.3%), finance, insurance, real estate and business services (15.3%), manufacturing (12.8%) and general government (9.8%).3
The population of Graafwater according to the 2011 Census4 was 2,261, 83% who describe themselves as Coloured, 14% as White and 2% as Black African. Afrikaans is the predominant language spoken by 97% of the population.
The Sandveld Local Development Agency (SALDA) was established in Graafwater in 2011 to provide access to justice services to poor and marginalised members of their community and to educate them of their rights. SALDA’s other focus areas, include farm worker development, health and HIV/Aids issues, local economic development and youth development. SALDA is also part of the SCAT YouthBank programme. The organization also formed a strong partnership with Enel Green Powers, the solar power plant operators in Paleisheuwel. This partnership has allowed them to start a community computer training and internet facility.
1. Raper, P. (1987). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Vol. 46). https://doi.org/10.1080/10228195.2015.1113434
2. Graafwater | Western Cape | Visit Lamberts Bay. (2019). Retrieved October 12, 2019, from www.lambertsbay.co.za website:
https://www.lambertsbay.co.za/about-graafwater.html
3. Cederberg Local Municipality - Overview. (2019.). Retrieved October 6, 2019, from https://municipalities.co.za/
overview/1227/cederberg-local-municipality
4. Frith, A. (2019). Census 2011: Main Place: Graafwater. Retrieved October 12, 2019, from census website: https://census2011.
adrianfrith.com/place/161003
FAST faCts
NaMe: Sandveld Local Development Agency
LeD By: Jonathan van der Westhuizen
MaiN CHaLLeNGes faCeD By tHe CoMMUNity: Poverty, unemployment, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse
MaiN aCtiVities: Paralegal support; development of the local economy; educating the community, YouthBank programme.
aDDress: 19 Van der Stel Street, Graafwater
CoNtaCt: Cell: 078 345 6139
Email: salda.gfw777@yahoo.com
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