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THE REPRESENTATIVE <strong>20</strong> <strong>October</strong> <strong>20</strong>17 Tel: (045) 839-4040 Emergency: (A/H) 083-272-0955 ° Editorial: sonjar@timesmedia.co.za - advertising: charodinev@timesmedia.co.za 15<br />

Taxi body<br />

allays fears<br />

of TB in Ilinge<br />

SIMTEMBILE MGIDI<br />

HE Uncedo Taxi<br />

Association has moved<br />

to allay fears of a health<br />

Trisk after it was found<br />

that an Ilinge taxi driver who<br />

was ill with tuberculosis (TB)<br />

was continuing to ferry<br />

passengers in the area.<br />

Uncedo public relations<br />

officer Thulie Madoda said the<br />

association encouraged all taxi<br />

owners and drivers to be<br />

tested to ensure the protection<br />

of the health of their<br />

passengers.<br />

“As the association we do<br />

not allow drivers to drive until<br />

they are well, especially<br />

drivers who have TB. When we<br />

were informed that the driver<br />

had returned to work, we took<br />

him back to the [Ilinge] clinic<br />

and he was tested and his<br />

results came back negative.”<br />

He said some drivers feared<br />

that TB could not be cured and<br />

therefore did not disclose their<br />

st at u s .<br />

“When we see symptoms of<br />

ill health, we send the drivers<br />

to be tested.”<br />

Madoda said the association<br />

encourages the community to<br />

lodge complaints with the<br />

association if the drivers did<br />

not treat the passengers well<br />

or if they were drunk.<br />

“People can come to the taxi<br />

association offices with their<br />

complaints and we will attend<br />

to the matter. <strong>The</strong> taxi industry<br />

relies on the passengers. We<br />

can be contacted on<br />

082-699-38991.”<br />

<strong>The</strong> department of health<br />

organised a TB screening<br />

campaign and invited NGOs,<br />

including the TB HIV Care<br />

Association at the Ilinge taxi<br />

rank near the clinic recently.<br />

<strong>The</strong> department of health<br />

sub-district, along with the<br />

Enoch Mgijima Local<br />

Municipality and<br />

non-government organisations,<br />

also conducted a community<br />

dialogue and TB awareness<br />

campaign.<br />

Professional nurse Sister<br />

Fundiswa Mngxaso from TB<br />

HIV Care Association said,<br />

“<strong>The</strong>re are people who do not<br />

know which services they have<br />

a right to, so we raised<br />

awareness of TB and HIV<br />

t e st i n g . ”<br />

A large number of people<br />

were tested.<br />

Sputum was collected from<br />

various people and sent to<br />

Frontier Hospital for testing<br />

with the results to be sent to<br />

the clinic.<br />

IT ALL COMES TO AN END: Ezibeleni school, Minah T. Soga Primary<br />

School, bid farewell last Thursday to teachers who contributed to<br />

hundreds of pupils’ academic lives over the past decades. Some of<br />

the teachers will retire in January. Pupils performed traditional<br />

dances for them. At the event are, from left, NomaRussia Madliwa,<br />

Fezeka Gugwini, Phumla Mzilikazi and <strong>The</strong>lma Mlillo<br />

Picture: SIVENATHI GOSA<br />

FRESH START: <strong>The</strong> new interns at the Chris Hani District Municipality<br />

Picture: SUPPLIED<br />

New interns settle in at CHDM<br />

THE Chris Hani District Municipality<br />

(CHDM) has welcomed 40 new interns that<br />

will serve for a period of two years.<br />

<strong>The</strong> interns are unemployed graduates<br />

who are bona fide residents in the district,<br />

who have not been employed before and<br />

who have not undergone an internship.<br />

According to a press release by CHDM,<br />

their service began on September 30 and<br />

they have been placed in different offices<br />

based on their qualifications. <strong>The</strong> interns<br />

get a monthly stipend of R5000.<br />

This marks the third intake of interns by<br />

CHDM with some of the interns from the<br />

two preceding intakes being employed in<br />

CHDM and other institutions.<br />

<strong>The</strong> internship programme was first<br />

launched by CHDM in <strong>20</strong>11 with the<br />

purpose of assisting unemployed<br />

graduates to bridge the experience.<br />

All interns are assigned mentors who<br />

guide them throughout the internship<br />

programme ensuring that they attain<br />

required skills which make them<br />

m a r ke t a b l e .<br />

Intern Andile Mbandezi from<br />

Westbourne said “I obtained a BA degree<br />

in Development studies in <strong>20</strong>15 at the<br />

University of Zululand and also completed<br />

a Honours degree in Community<br />

Development in <strong>20</strong>16. I have been anxious<br />

to get my first job and up to now I had not<br />

been successful. I believe when I have<br />

completed my internship programme I will<br />

be better able to attract employers as I<br />

need to plough back the knowledge I<br />

attained in university.<br />

“I also see this as an opportunity to<br />

market myself as a dedicated hardworking<br />

and competent employee.”<br />

An advert inviting applications for<br />

internship was published in July and a<br />

recruitment process followed afterwards.<br />

In ensuring that it is only suitable CHDM<br />

citizens who apply, a process of<br />

verification was also undertaken to<br />

ascertain residency and employment<br />

histor y.<br />

New structure wants to help the needy<br />

SIVENATHI GOSA<br />

THE Basil February Detachment<br />

is a Komani body which has<br />

been established to assist<br />

members of the community in<br />

meeting challenges such as<br />

obtaining identity documents.<br />

While the body is currently<br />

made up of mainly ANC<br />

members, it aims to assist<br />

people regardless of their<br />

political affiliation.<br />

Acting chairman of the<br />

interim board Peter King said<br />

community leaders needed to<br />

realise the needs of the people.<br />

“<strong>The</strong> structure was<br />

established last year with an<br />

objective of helping people who<br />

are struggling to get help from<br />

the government, such as<br />

pensioners who do not have<br />

any identity documents, and<br />

can therefore not receive social<br />

grants.”<br />

He said the aim of the body<br />

was not “to fight with<br />

government” but to ensure that<br />

communities knew and<br />

benefitted from their rights.<br />

<strong>The</strong> structure was also<br />

hoping to work with ward<br />

commit tees.<br />

Grace Schmidt said her<br />

two-year-old grandchild has<br />

been without a birth certificate<br />

GIVING BACK: Basil February Detachment members with residents, front from left, Colette du<br />

Plessis, Nored Mdlangu, Grace Schmidt, Rachel Rooy, <strong>The</strong>mba Gwazube, Julius Zila, David<br />

Maneli, Nolitha Sandile, back from left, Peter King, Kenneth Jacobs, Thandeka Ndembe and<br />

Desiree Roy<br />

Picture: SIVENATHI GOSA<br />

but due to intervention by the<br />

Basil February Detachment this<br />

was resolved.<br />

“We are truly grateful for<br />

what this organisation is doing<br />

for us as the community.”<br />

Julius Zila, 81, a Mlungisi<br />

resident, said he had been<br />

concerned about the lack of a<br />

title deed for his home.<br />

“I have been reporting my<br />

matter to the Enoch Mgijima<br />

Local Municipality’s (EMLM)<br />

human settlements, and they<br />

said they do not have it yet. I<br />

have applied for the title deed,<br />

but nothing is happening.<br />

When the executive mayor of<br />

EMLM Lindiwe<br />

Gunuza-Nkwenstha was<br />

handing out title deeds last<br />

week, I was told by a municipal<br />

official to go back to the human<br />

settlements offices for<br />

assistance, I have decided to<br />

ask help from this organisation,<br />

as I believe they can do<br />

something for me.”<br />

<strong>The</strong>mba Gwazube, 61, who<br />

has been living without an<br />

identity document, said things<br />

became worse when his health<br />

deteriorated while living in<br />

Gauteng.<br />

G wa z u b e ’s niece Rachel Rooy<br />

said two weeks ago they went<br />

to department of home affairs<br />

to apply for another identity<br />

document.<br />

“Things are looking<br />

promising and it looks like my<br />

uncle may get it soon.”

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