Page 91 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

WITZenBerG
rUrAl deVelopment Centre
Tucked on the eastern slope of the Skurweberg mountains is the picturesque town of Ceres, the administrative centre and largest town of the Witzenberg Local Municipality in the Winelands of Western Cape. named after the roman goddess of agriculture and fertility, Ceres is reknowned for its fertile fruit-growing valleys.1 The Witzenberg area is located an hour and a half’s drive away from Cape Town on route 62. It consists of Ceres, Tulbagh, Wolseley, Op-die-Berg and Prince Alfred’s Hamlet.
The main economic activities in the area2 are agriculture, forestry and fishing (29.1%), finance, insurance, real estate and business services (22%), manufacturing (16.2%), wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation (10%), general government (8.4%), transport, storage and communication (8%), community, social and personal services (3.5%).
According to the 2011 census the municipality has a population of 115,946 people in 27,419 households. Of this population, 65.9% describe themselves as “Coloured”, 25.3% as “Black African”, and 7.7% as “White”. The first language of 75.2% of the population is Afrikaans, while 16.6% speak Xhosa, 4.5% speak Sotho and 2.0% speak english.3
The Witzenberg rural development Centre has a strong focus on gender advocacy, helping women realise their self-worth, including rights to adequate housing. The LdA also deals with numerous enquiries for unfair dismissals, unfair labour practices on the fruit farms, unpaid wages and mediation. They have also set up two eCd centres in the local community.
1. Ceres Tourism. (2019). retrieved October 5, 2019, from https://www.ceres.org.za/main/
2. Witzenberg Municipality |. (2019). retrieved October 5, 2019, from http://www.witzenberg.gov.za/
3. STATSSA. (2019) Local Municipality | Statistics South Africa. retrieved October 5, 2019, from http://www.statssa.gov.
za/?page_id=993&id=witzenberg-municipality
FAst FACTS
NaMe: Witzenberg rural development Centre
LeD By: emma Goliath
MaiN CHaLLeNGes faCeD By tHe CoMMUNity: Food security, farmworkers’ rights, women empowerment
MaiN aCtiVities: Gender equality; early Childhood development (eCd); food security; paralegal support; farm workers’ rights
aDDress: 70 Voortrekker Street, Ceres
CoNtaCt: Phone 023 312 3046, Cell 074 354 4756
email: wrdc1@live.com
Gender
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