The Rep 28 October 2022

THE REPRESENTATIVE 28 October 2022 Tel: (045) 839-4040 / editorial: bobeloz@therep.co.za / advertising: charodinev@therep.co.za 11
Matron working to
make a difference
MONEY IN THE BAG: Luzuko Yalezo, right, Queens Casino and Hotel’s lucky jackpot winner,
receives his ‘cheque’ from gaming tech manager Zuko Mbenyana during an official handover
recently Picture: SUPPLIED
LEN’S NEWS
Hillary Redcliffe of
Victoria Park, now
matron at Huis John
Vorster, never knew the elderly
home existed until someone
suggested she apply for the job
two years ago.
Redcliffe who had worked
for the South African Police
Service, did job shadowing
under then matron Theresa Lotti
before taking over the position.
She said at first it felt
overwhelming as the position
was huge, but in a short time
she found the board very
supportive and trusting of her,
which she was grateful for.
John Vorster is a large facility
with 86 residents to feed, 39
staff members and private
rentals in the cottages at the
back where five flats are
situated, all of whom come
under Redcliffe’s care.
Redcliffe firmly believes that
“unity is strength” and shows by
example how to help the staff.
She encourages them not to
criticize each other and to help
where they can, herself
included.
Attitudes among the staff and
the residents are changing for
the good and there is a warm
friendly feeling as you walk
through the home, with people
exsdchanging greetings.
Seeing all the improvements
that have been made to lighten
FRIENDLY FACE: Hillary
Redcliffe, current matron at
Huis John Vorster in
Westbourne Picture: LEN’S
NEWS
and brighten up the rooms in
the frail care section so far,
shows a real sense of caring for
the residents. Well done to the
members of the Westbourne
and Weshof community and
others in the wider areas of
Ko m a n i .
The Chris Hani Retired
Nurses Association came to
offer help to the staff and are
currently conducting training
sessions on Monday and
Tuesday mornings to the care
givers and the household staff.
Already, after just the first
session, those who have
attended the teachings have
been encouraged and uplifted
and are feeling cared for. The
Retired Nurses really are putting
into action all that they have
talked about. In the future they
are planning refresher courses,
teaching and showing the care
givers how to do all sorts of
different things like bed bathing
and oral hygiene for the
patients.
Looking back, Redcliffe,
who is a real people’s person,
says she has learnt a lot. After
Covid, people seemed to open
their hearts, and their hands to
help improve things at John
Vorster and she is encouraged
by it.
Long periods of loadshedding
is a big challenge.
With trying to keep meat that
has been kindly donated frozen,
Redcliffe has built good
relations with people willing to
help with freezer space.
Of course, facilities like Huis
John Vorster have needs. They
are really desperate for an
industrial washing machine.
Water storage tanks would also
be of help when water is scarce.
Redcliffe said there were a
growing number of enquiries
about accommodation at the
facility. Rooms that have been
used for storage purposes are
now being converted into
bedrooms and she would dearly
love steel containers to use as
store rooms for wheelchairs and
nursing equipment.
Sadly, some families never
come to visit their relatives and
it is up to the home to buy
toiletries, clothing and other
items. It has been very helpful
when people in the wider
community hear of these needs
and donate them.
Pair hold children’s sport camps
LEN’S NEWS
Two grade 12 pupils from
Queenstown Girls’ High School
(GHS), Amy Styles and Hannah
de Jongh, decided to run a
sports camp for local children
during the July holidays at the
GHS sports fields.
After advertising well and
wide, the pair received an
exceptional response, and
decided to hold the camp
during the September/October
school holidays as well.
The second camp was
shorter than the first and not as
well-supported.
But the girls decided to still
go ahead, and held a small
camp in Hannah’s garden.
During the first sports camp,
the girls covered various sport
codes with the children.
However, they discovered
the children were more
interested in playing fun games
of balloon volleyball, musical
statues, individual obstacle
races like the egg and spoon
challenge, as well as playing
with water pistols.
Holding the second camp
for two hours in an afternoon
was just the right length of time
for children aged four to 10
years old to maintain
c o n c e n t ra t i o n .
Their parents had a good
break too.
The girls used the profits
from the camps to buy
equipment and small prizes.
GOOD
CAUSE: Amy
Styles and
Hannah de
Jongh came up
with the idea of
running a
c h i l d re n ’s
sports camp
during the
holidays P i c t u re :
SUPPLIED
It is wonderful when
teenagers think about reaching
out and offering fun things to do
outdoors for other younger
people in a caring and
encouraging environment.
It was not a money-making
activity but rather time spent
encouraging others and
enjoying fun times together.
Thank you to Amy and
Hannah for opening their hearts
and giving of their time for
children in our community.
HEALTH EDUCATION: Members of the Chris Hani Retired Nurses Association in the
Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality branch provided skills training in professionalism, ethics
and etiquette to 14 caregivers at Huis John Vorster in Westbourne this week. The group
also conducted a facility inspection and developed a quality improvement plan P i c t u re :
SUPPLIED
Lukhanji primary deputy head to retire
FA R E W E L L :
Lukhanji Public
Primary School
deputy principal
Themba Sidwell
Skweyiya is soon to
retire from the
education sector
Picture: SUPPLIED
REP REPORTER
After 40 years of serving the
education department, Lukhanji
Public Primary School deputy
principal Themba Sidwell Skweyiya
will finally retire.
“I achieved a milestone of my life
in completing 40 years of good
service at the department of
education. It is now time to consider
retiring from working,” he said.
Sikweyiya began his early years
in the education sector when he
started working at Mhlotshana High
School January 1982. Tthereafter he
assumed duties at Sixishe Junior
Secondary School in 1987 and has
since held positions in various other
educational institutions.
Sikweyiya joined Siyaphakama
High School in 1990 as head of
department, working together with
the principal to assist the department
to build more classrooms for the
pupils.
“I commenced employment at
Brakkloof Junior Secondary School
as a principal where I was assisted by
Modidimo Mannya, the then
secretary general of the provincial
department of education, together
with the former district manager, in
2003 to build a new junior
secondary school with 16
classrooms, a modern computer
laboratory, staff room and a
principal’s office,” he said.
“With the new restructuring of
the primary schools, I transferred to
Gali Thembani and Lukhanji Public
Primary School as an acting
principal in 2017 and later took the
position of deputy principal,” said
S k w e y i ya .