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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.”