Lwazi Application Selection Report - Meraka Institute

Lwazi Application Selection Report
July 2008
By
Tebogo Gumede, MA (Soc)
Madelaine Plauché, PhD

Executive Summary
The Human Language Technology (HLT) group of the CSIR’s Meraka Institute was commissioned by
the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) to develop a multilingual, telephone-based system. This
system will enable South African citizens to access government information in all 11 official languages.
An application selection team was formed to develop a usable multilingual information service.
Method
In order to develop such as system, the application team had to do in-depth investigations of
communities’ information needs, sources of government information, communities’ preferences and
potential uptake of a possible application. The investigation was done through key informant
interviews and focus group discussions, firstly with internal colleagues at the Meraka Institute and
organisations they work with. These initial interviews were next followed by external investigations
among rural South African communities. We conducted household and community surveys and
collected data on the demographics of the communities (the potential users of the proposed service),
community infrastructure, local activities, facilities and government services available. In addition to
the community interaction, we interviewed local service providers, namely Thusong Service Centre
managers and community development workers. We also had a workshop with a disabled community
in KwaZulu-Natal to explore an application for them.
Main findings
The mountain of information collected was collated and analysed. This was done using a tool called,
”morphological analysis”. During the morphological analysis workshop, the team identified the
following variables as a guide to selecting an application: domain, vulnerability of targeted user, risk
of negative impact, potential for individual impact, stakeholders, size of user group, content resources,
geography, number of languages, partnerships and critical technology involved. At a third workshop
we identified eight potential applications namely: health based, South African Social Service Agency
(SASSA), child-headed application, World Cup Community Tracker, Sector Education and Training
Authority (SETA), services hotline, load shedding hotline, Tshwane Electricity Services (TES) and
community development workers (CDW).
In order to showcase their HLT team’s language technology capabilities and explore the technology
further, and at the same time meet their contractual agreements with the DAC, we selected the TES
and CDW applications. The TES application did not materialise, but the CDW application was
successful up to pilot stage.
Conclusion
The investigation of a possible application raised awareness of the potential of language technologies.
The Application Selection team gained valuable knowledge about the potential user which was used to
develop a successful CDW application.
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Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ i
List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... iii
1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 4
2 Internal and External Communication ..................................................................................... 6
2.1 Internal ........................................................................................................................ 6
2.2 External ........................................................................................................................ 7
3 Investigation of Rural Government Service Delivery (Thusong Service Centres) ......................... 9
4 Workshops ...........................................................................................................................11
4.1 Workshop 1: Connecting South Africans with Disabilities .................................................11
4.2 Workshop 2: Morphological Analysis of Applications........................................................11
4.3 Workshop 3: Lwazi Application Selection ........................................................................13
5 Lwazi Applications ................................................................................................................14
5.1 Short List of Lwazi Applications (Appendix 23) ...............................................................14
5.2 Two Selected Applications .............................................................................................15
6 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................17
Appendix 1 Communication Strategy .......................................................................................18
Appendix 2 Lwazi Targeted Database (cleaned-up Google Doc) ................................................24
Appendix 3 Stakeholder Presentation ......................................................................................33
Appendix 4 Lwazi Website ......................................................................................................37
Appendix 5 Focus Group Questionnaires ..................................................................................38
Appendix 6 TES Focus Group Discussion Consent Form ............................................................42
Appendix 7 SITA Site Visit Report ...........................................................................................43
Appendix 8 Childline Phone Interview Notes ............................................................................53
Appendix 9 Childline Site Visit Report ......................................................................................55
Appendix 10 Tshwane Electricity Services (TES) Site Visit ...........................................................56
Appendix 11 Focus Group Consent Form ...................................................................................62
Appendix 12 Field Visit: George (Waboomskraal) .......................................................................63
Appendix 13 Field Visit: Durban ................................................................................................68
Appendix 14 Field Visit: Tshidilamalomo ....................................................................................71
Appendix 15 Field Visit: Free State (Botshabelo) ........................................................................77
Appendix 16 Field Visit: Eastern Cape (Sterkspruit) ....................................................................81
Appendix 17 Field Visit: Limpopo (Ohrigstad) ............................................................................86
Appendix 18 Connecting South Africans with Disabilities: Workshop Report (English) ...................90
Appendix 19 Connecting South Africans with Disabilities: Workshop Report (isiZulu) .................. 111
Appendix 20 Morphological Analysis Workshop Presentation ..................................................... 131
Appendix 21 Application selection workshop presentation ........................................................ 139
Appendix 22 Morphological Analysis Workshop – Lwazi Applications Model ................................ 147
Appendix 23 Lwazi Applications .............................................................................................. 151
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List of Abbreviations
ACD Automatic Call Distribution
ACTS Aids Care Training and Support
ARV Anti-retroviral
ASR Advanced Speech Recognition
CDW Community Development Worker
DAC Department of Arts and Culture
DOH Department of Health
DPSA Department of Public Service and Administration
DST Department of Science and Technology
DTMF Dual-tone multi-frequency
FGD Focus Group Discussion
GCIS Government Communication and Information Services
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HLT Human Language Technologies
ICT Information and Communications Technology
IKS Indigenous Knowledge Systems
IVR Interactive Voice Response
KII Key Informant Interview
MPCC Multi-Purpose Community Centre
MRC Medical Research Council
NAP National Accessibility Portal
NGO Non-governmental Organisation
PAJA Promotion of Administration of Justice Act (Act 3 of 2000)
SAPS South African Police Service
SASSA South African Social Security Agency
SETA Sector Education and Training Authority
SITA State Information Technology Agency
TES Tshwane Electricity Services
TSC Thusong Service Centre
TTS Text-to-Speech
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1 Background
Goal
The Human Language Technologies (HLT) research group has signed a three-year contract with the
Department of Arts & Culture to develop a multilingual, telephone-based system that will enable
callers to access government services in the official language of their choice through a simple speechorientated
interface that is suitable for users with limited or no literacy. All 11 official languages should
be accommodated. This system, called Lwazi, must be completed by September 2009.
In addition to several technical and personnel outputs specified in the contract, the HLT research
group must provide a usable multilingual telephone-based information service. For this
purpose, an Application Selection team was formed in the HLT research group.
The Lwazi Application Selection team interviewed a sample of South African individuals, businesses,
organisations, and government entities to obtain suggestions for IT and telephony projects that are
likely to have a major social impact for South Africans, and to identify potential partners for the
implementation of such a project.
Strategy
First, the Application Selection team conducted a fact-finding mission and created a database of
potential partners for the Lwazi project, according to their communication strategy (Appendix 1). The
team also developed a non-technical presentation for potential partners (Appendix 3), updated their
website (Appendix 4), and looked for other personal relations opportunities.
In particular, the Application Selection team sought to investigate:
• The type of information that communities primarily need
• The potential sources for this information
• The relevant cultural and social preferences, i.e. any issues based on gender, age,
geographic location and the cultural background of the community
• Suitability of technology, i.e. whether the medium of speech is appropriate for an
information service, and if so, what the best way is to present information to such a
community through the medium of speech
• User experience, i.e. the literacy level of the target group, whether the target group is
able to use a telephony-based system, what other technologies they have they been
exposed to in the past, etc.
• Potential uptake, i.e. any issues pertinent to the usefulness, usability, and sustainability
of a speech-driven information service.
The fact-finding mission began with a series of meetings and presentations within the CSIR’s Meraka
Institute. Groups that work in different communities in the country gave us contacts, advice and
guidance. The Lwazi Application Selection team extended this list with other possible applications and
contacts outside of Meraka that the team found promising. The team contacted several potential
partners, met with them to introduce them to Lwazi, and conducted follow-up site visits or field visits
to further investigate the potential impact Lwazi could have in each domain. The data were
synthesised in two final workshops, which resulted in a short list of potential telephony applications
for the Lwazi project.
Approximate dates
Data were collected during the months from February to April 2008. Final workshops were held and
the data analysed in May 2008.
People involved
The Lwazi application selection team was comprised of Human Language Technology members with
diverse skills. The members included Tebogo Gumede (sociologist), Madelaine Plauché (linguist and
user interface designer), Aditi Sharma (computer engineer specialising in user interface design) and
Alta de Waal (statistician). The team did not work independently, and had support from different
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levels within HLT. Group leaders Dr Marelie Davel and Professor Etienne Barnard provided strategic
guidance and direction. The team had data collection support from Nathi Mqalo (administrator),
Gerrit Botha (engineer) and Mpho Kgampe (intern linguist). Jimmy Masalesa and Olga Martirosian
provided many initial contacts and guidance. Marina de Villiers developed our communication strategy
(Appendix 1) and both she and Carmen Moors gave the team essential administrative support.
Relevant appendices:
1. Lwazi communication strategy
3. Lwazi stakeholder presentation
4. Lwazi website
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2 Internal and External Communication
Approximate dates
The Application Selection team spoke to a number of people and groups both within and outside
Meraka between February and April 2008.
2.1 Internal
Goal
The goal of the internal communications was to tap into existing expertise, contacts and available
resources in order to choose appropriate partners for the Lwazi telephony project.
Activities
The Application Selection team met with the head of the CSIR’s Meraka Institute, Mrs Kagiso Chikane,
as well as representatives from each of the following CSIR research groups (all but the last are part of
Meraka):
• Education
• National Accessibility Portal (NAP)
• Wireless Africa
• Digital Doorway
• Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)
• Infopreneurs
• Promotion for Administration of Justice Act (PAJA)
The meeting with Mrs Kagiso Chikane and each of the research groups lasted approximately one hour
and included a presentation on Lwazi (Appendix 3) and a discussion. Brochures with the link to our
website (Appendix4) were provided to all groups visited.
Major findings
All meetings within Meraka yielded a list of potential contacts and research directions. Most groups
had advice for our team based on extensive experience of partnering with government and nongovernmental
organisations in South Africa. Some research groups such as Education also promised
potential partnerships for Lwazi, with whom we discussed the possibility of adapting MobilED
(http://www.mobiled.org) to be able to access sites such as WikiEduator.org. with the option of
reading out loud the alternate text for images and video clips, etc. Note the wiki approach: anyone
can edit anything any time – the community of users populates and modifies the information.
National Accessibility Portal has a great deal of experience working with South Africans with
disabilities – citizens who can greatly benefit from language technologies.
Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) based at the Department of Science and Technology (DST),
were looking at piloting some of their works using the ‘Digital Doorway’. The HLT research group was
invited to explore the possibility of adding voice (in different languages) to their content.
IKS unfortunately did not have any tested content for the HLT research group to explore for project
Lwazi.
Research groups such PAJA and Infopreneurs inspired the Application Selection team to focus on rural
areas where a language gap exists and where systems that support government service delivery and
economic development are greatly needed.
These internal meetings stimulated some of the following design ideas for Lwazi:
• Target users as creators, not just recipients, of data
• How to create a demand for information
• Focus on filling the language gap in South Africa
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• Focus on rural areas.
Appendix 4 provides more details of the results of our internal fact-finding mission in the CSIR’s
Meraka Institute.
2.2 External
Goal
The goal of the external communications was to (1) promote some awareness of the Lwazi project,
and the potential of language technologies being developed by the HLT research group, (2) identify
appropriate partners for the Lwazi telephony project, and (3) establish a relationship with such
partners.
Activities
Some external contacts were established through the internal communication efforts of the CSIR’s
Meraka Institute. In addition, the Application Selection team also brainstormed particular domains
and used the Internet to conduct initial research for possible collaborative stakeholders and to get
their contact details. The Application Selection team then called each of the targeted organisations to
set up an initial meeting. In this way, the team visited or met with representatives of nine
organisations in Gauteng:
• Department of Arts and Culture (DAC): Arts, Social Development and Youth Unit
• State Information Technology Agency (SITA)
• Childline Gauteng
• Tshwane Electricity Services
• Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS): World Cup 2010
• Department of Public Service Administration (including Community Development
Workers)
• Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA)
• Cell Life
• Soul City.
The Key Informant Interviews and meetings lasted approximately one hour each and included the
Lwazi presentation and discussion. Site visits usually lasted several hours, and in addition to meetings,
often included site tours and focus group discussions.
1. In early February, our team members met with Rosemary Mangope and Nicoleen Mashego at the
DAC – Arts Social Development and Youth Unit. One of their programmes is on encouraging
social cohesion in communities that live close to the stadiums which will host the 2010 Soccer World
Cup. The proposed project involved rallying communities to clean up and improve their environment,
teaching people how to be ‘good hosts’ and then inputting all this information on a free telephony line
which would allow communities to set goals and track their progress. The ‘winning’ community would
then be on a current news television show.
2. At the Healthcare international workshop, Tebogo Gumede met with Dr Peter Benjamin, a director
of Cape Town-based organisation called Cell Life. Cell Life develops technical systems to assist with
HIV care and treatment. They had funding for a three-year project to develop cellphone tools to
provide information and communication services for people infected or affected by HIV. Cell Life
collaborates with many other organisations, including Vodacom and Soul City. On 2 April 2008 Dr
Benjamin visited HLT and learned more details about their technologies and project.
3. Aditi Sharma and Tebogo Gumede met with Dr Sue Goldstein from Soul City South Africa in May
2008
Soul City Institute is a dynamic and innovative multi-media health promotion and social
change project. Through drama and entertainment Soul City reaches more than 16 million
South Africans.
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Through its multi-media and advocacy strategies Soul City Institute aims to create an enabling
environment empowering audiences to make healthy choices, both as individuals and as
communities. (http://www.soulcity.org.za/).
After explaining about the Lwazi project with Dr Goldstein, she mentioned that they do collaborative
work with anybody who has an interest in educating the community, in her words, “We are a national
resource…” At the time of the meeting she said that Soul City’s plan for the next five years was to
focus on HIV/AIDS and the prevention of violence. Soul City would be an excellent source of relevant,
culturally appropriate content for a Lwazi telephony service.
4. The Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) in Johannesburg has as one of
its projects a learnership for events management. They have developed a toolkit (in booklet form)
that will guide young people who will be recruited yearly. Alta de Waal and Tebogo Gumede spoke to
Senisha Moonsamy, who is in charge of the programme (20 May 2008). She said that these young
people would be paired with mentors in the same industry. The likelihood of the mentors being from
the same areas is fairly low. Lwazi could provide a bridging gap between the students and the
mentors by creating an audio version of the toolkit.
5. GCIS. Madelaine Plauché and Aditi Sharma met with Clare Wyllie and Kholiswa Kleinbooi (28
February) who was working on the World Cup 2010 GCIS website. This meeting sparked interest in a
web version of our language learning demonstration. It would be part of the World Cup 2010 website
for travellers to learn a few useful phrases in some of the South African languages. In addition, this
meeting resulted in a list of additional government and non-governmental contacts involved in the
World Cup 2010 who might benefit from a supporting telephony system.
6. Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) (CDW). The last visit was to the
head of the provincial Community Development Workers coordinators at the national office, Ms
Florence Maleka and her assistant Ms Mabaeng Dlamini. CDWs are not accountable to any
department. They are coordinated through the DPSA but work in health, social service, disaster
management, security, education, agriculture, etc. They have to be up to date with all government
programmes from all departments.
For project Lwazi, Ms Florence Maleka and Ms Mabaeng Dlamini suggested some of the following
possible applications:
• Information on what people need to bring to apply for documents such as ID or grants
and the costs thereof
• Information on the importance of public participation: local governments hold planning
meetings at the end of every year, but people usually do not attend these meetings and
when things happen in their communities they say they were not informed
• A system that will assist the national CDW office to contact the CDWs directly. Often
when information is required they have to go through a lot of red tape before they get it.
7. On the 4 March 2008 the Application Selection team visited the Tshwane Electricity Services
(TES). Tshwane Electricity Services covers an 80 x 40 km grid from Hartbeespoort Dam to
Bronkhorstspruit and from Soshanguve to just before Midrand. TES supports a toll-free number for
electricity-related calls. The call centre normally receives around 50 000 calls a month. With load
shedding this can go up to 10 000 a day. There we met with:
• Lizelle G Veenemans (Chief of Tshwane Electricity Services Helpdesk)
• Kapari B T Moraka (Deputy Manager: Tshwane Electricity Services Helpdesk)
• Chris Schwartz (Supervisor of Control/Dispatch Room)
• Piet Reynecke (Bytes representative who is based in the Tshwane Electricity Services
offices)
• Ananias Metse (Foreman of call centre)
• Robert Maswanganye (Senior engineer of TES)
During our visit, we met with the key team listed above and they explained to us the history of load
shedding and the process, including the areas that are exempted, the functioning of the IVR system,
the company that manages it, call logging and routing systems. We also had focused group
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discussions with call centre agents. A Lwazi telephony service powered by speech recognition and
speech synthesis in English, Afrikaans, Sesotho and isiZulu could automatically handle thousands of
the load-shedding queries that are currently handled by the agents at TES.
8. We had a telephone interview with Joan van Niekerk from Childline Gauteng and a site visit to one
of the call centres. Childline is a toll-free hotline that is available 24 hours a day. They handle 73 000
calls a month. She acknowledged that they had a number of hoax calls and attributed this to children
not being familiar with a shared resource like the telephone. The call centre agents, who are social
workers and volunteers, are trained to deal with children and therefore can detect when a call is a
prank call or a cry for help. Child Line has nine regional call centres, some better equipped than
others. Together, they receive 100 000 calls a month. Childline services could not be automated, but
Joan suggested that other call centres who receive a large number of prank calls from children could
automatically route these calls to Childline, as a potential Lwazi application.
9. SITA. We conducted a site visit and follow-up meetings with the State Information Technology
Agency (SITA) from December 2007 to March 2008 to explore the possibility of implementing a
spoken dialogue system that might support their existing operations. This was suggested by one of
SITA's clients, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), which was concerned
about the accessibility of government services by the majority of the South African population. SITA's
’gateway’ hotline is free, available 24 hours a day, and connects callers to agents who consult the
GCIS national website to answer questions from callers about government services, such as starting a
small business or procuring a birth certificate.
During the site visit in December, we met with Diana Ackerman, Ernest de Villiers and Pieter von
Mollendorf and held focus group discussions with call-centre agents. We discovered that an
automated telephony service could be beneficial to their current operations. However, the SITA team's
feelings about collaborating with us on such a project were mixed and resulted in an inability to move
forward in a partnership.
Relevant appendices:
5. Focus Group Questionnaires
6. Focus Group Consent Form
7. SITA Site Visit Report
8. Childline Phone Interview Notes
9. Childline Site Visit Report
10. TES Site Visit Report
11. Focus Group Consent Form
3 Investigation of Rural Government Service Delivery
(Thusong Service Centres)
Formerly known as MPCCs or Multi-Purpose Community Centres, Thusong Service Centres (TSCs) are
one-stop centres providing integrated services and information from government to communities close
to where they live as part of a comprehensive strategy to better the lives of community members. The
TSC’s specific objectives include improving access, ensuring that infrastructure design caters for all
vulnerable or marginalised groups and ensuring that infrastructure is developed in a manner that
caters for the needs of service providers.
The team visited five of these centres across the country during April and May 2008. The areas
visited were Waboomskraal (George), Tshidilamalomo (North West) , Botshabelo (Free State),
Sterkspruit (Eastern Cape), Kautswane and Ohrigstad (Limpopo). The team also visited an art centre
in Durban (the BAT centre). The details of all the visits are given in Appendices 12 to 17.
Goal
The aim of these visits was to explore possible telephony applications that could assist government
departments in rural service delivery.
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Activities
During each visit, the team made contact with the centre manager who then hosted the team
members for two to three days. During this time, key informant interviews (KII), focus group
discussions (FGDs), community and household surveys were conducted with service providers,
including Thusong staff, community development workers (CDWs) and recipients of the services. The
KIIs and FGDs (Appendix 18) each lasted approximately an hour. FGDs were held with groups ranging
in size from four to 15 people, who first signed a consent form (Appendix 6). Community surveys
were administered to the CDW of the area; household surveys were administered to community
members who volunteered.
Major findings
Thusong Service Centres are run by very enthusiastic individuals who are supported by committed
community members. Some of these community members give their services voluntarily. The centres
at all five sites did not provide the same services. Common services provided by the Thusong Service
Centres included CDW services, SASSA office, health services (clinic), social services, security (SAPS)
and recreation.
Communities were informed about these services through schools and community meetings and by
Community Development Workers. Major events, visits and meetings taking place at the centres were
also publicised by school learners and CDWs. These ways of communicating with the community
assist in solving some of the problems of distance. Although the service centres are located within the
communities they serve, they are still far from communities on the periphery. This is where a
telephony system such as the one proposed by project Lwazi could make a difference.
In the household survey that we conducted (the sample not representative in any way), we found that
all households had at least one cellphone, which was mainly used to communicate with friends and
family. This could be attributed to the fact that the majority of people in these communities are not
employed and only those who were employed were computer or technology literate. The major
source of income was government grants even in the farming community of Waboomskraal because
employment was seasonal.
A Lwazi telephony system that connected citizens to government services, especially citizens who
have to travel long distances or rely on another family member to inform them about such services, is
appealing because of the impact it would have in South African rural communities. Such a telephony
system could provide times and locations of TSC offices in local languages, or allow CDWs to
broadcast audio messages to the citizens they represent as an additional community organising tool.
Relevant appendices:
5. Focus Group and KII Questionnaires
11. Focus Group Consent Form
12. Field Visit: George
13. Field Visit: Durban
14. Field Visit: Tshidilamolomo
15. Field Visit: Botshabelo
16. Field Visit: Sterkspruit
17. Field Visit: Ohrigstad
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4 Workshops
4.1 Workshop 1: Connecting South Africans with Disabilities
On 3 March 2008 the HLT Application Selection team led a workshop at the Msunduzi Hospice
Conference Centre at 200 Zwartkop Road, Prestbury, in Pietermaritzburg. In addition to the four HLT
team members and two National Accessibility Portal (NAP) team members, there were 25 participants
who were either people with a wide range of disabilities or people who were living and working with
people with disabilities.
Goal
The workshop had three objectives:
1. to allow HLT and NAP researchers to hear directly from potential benefactors of a telephonebased
system that distributes health and government information, in this case from South
African citizens with disabilities
2. to exhibit the NAP project and South African language technologies
3. to strengthen connections among the participants of the workshop who were active and
engaged in parallel efforts in the Pietermaritzburg area.
Activities
The workshop used a focused discussion technique in small groups to discuss themes of technology
and connection. At each table, a Meraka researcher facilitated discussions. The workshop also
included technology demonstrations which allowed the participants to interact with several different
technology projects from Meraka.
Major Findings
The workshop met its three main goals and left the team with a sense that there was much that
language technologies could do in the area of disabilities in South Africa, but that it must be
accompanied by substantial education and empowerment initiatives. A complete report of this
workshop is attached in both English (Appendix 18) and isiZulu (Appendix 19). A Braille version of the
report was also created and sent to selected participants; however, we did not include it in this report.
4.2 Workshop 2: Morphological Analysis of Applications
Early in May 2008, the application selection team was ready to select a possible application for project
Lwazi based on the substantial data collected through meetings, site visits and fieldwork. We used a
non-quantitative problem-structuring method, called ‘Morphological Analysis,’ to structure our data
and to guide our decision making in selecting Lwazi applications in a systematic way. The method
allowed us to make complex strategic decisions based on several non-quantitative variables. In two
sessions with the Application Selection team and three additional HLT members, Christiaan Kuun,
Marelie Davel, and Prof. Etienne Barnard, we determined the relevant variables for selecting a Lwazi
application and quantified each of the 12 potential applications along those variables.
The variables for selecting a Lwazi application were the following:
• Domain: The possible domains for the Lwazi application are 'health', 'education', 'social
services', 'employment, 'tourism' and 'infrastructure'. The choice of domain serves as an
initial filter for other variables of the application.
• Vulnerability of targeted users: One way to gear technology deployment towards
social impact is to target groups of the population that are vulnerable or marginalised.
The categories we considered for these variables were the youth, the elderly, the poor,
the disabled, those with chronic illnesses or those who were unable to read and write,
which prevents them from functioning wholly in society.
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• Risk of negative impact: The categories of negative impact for an individual were
measured roughly by economic measures, i.e. approximately how much of the
individual’s salary would be affected. Categories included high (loss of one year's salary),
medium (loss of one month's salary), low (loss of one day's salary, and none.
• Potential for individual impact: The same rough economic metric was used for the
potential for individual impact. Categories included life-changing (gain of one year's
salary), significant (gain of one month's salary), substantial (gain of one day's salary),
and some, which typically consisted of mere enjoyment for the individual.
• Stakeholders: We classified the type of stakeholders likely to participate in a
technological deployment along the following categories: Government, Funding Agencies,
Industry, NGOs and Community Organisations.
• Size of user group: We categorised applications as likely to apply to the whole country:
10 000 to 1 million people in South Africa, 1 000 to 10 000 people, or fewer than 1 000
people.
• Content resources: The quality and type of content resources determined the success
of the application, so we categorised content on whether it was local, accurate and
relevant. We were interested in whether the content was accessible to speakers of all
languages and education levels, and whether the content came from a single source or
multiple sources (diverse). In addition, we were interested in whether we could adapt
existing content to a telephony medium (available) or would have to generate it
ourselves.
• Geography: We classified potential applications as focusing on rural, peri-urban or
urban areas, or specifically Gauteng.
• Number of languages: An application supports all languages, namely local languages
or dominant languages (English and Afrikaans).
• Partnerships: We rated our partnerships for each potential project as excellent, good,
medium, or none.
• Technology critically involved: Each application would require one or more of the
following technologies from HLT: advanced or basic speech recognition (ASR), advanced
or basic text-to-speech (TTS), language or speaker identification, user interface design,
and telephony.
Major Findings
The domain of the application (health, social services, etc.) chosen determines the population that will
be reached, the potential for positive impact, the risk of negative impact, and the stakeholders likely
to be involved. For example, a technology deployment in the health domain would be likely to have an
impact on all groups of people, including vulnerable groups such as the youth, the elderly, the
disabled, the poor, individuals with chronic illnesses, and those who cannot read or write. Depending
on the nature of a telephony application in the health domain, it has the potential for a life-changing
or significant impact on an individual. For example, a telephony application that reminds HIV-infected
individuals to take their anti-retroviral (ARV) medication could make a significant impact in the lives of
those individuals by making sure the medication works effectively, avoiding the need for a second,
stronger strand of ARV that is more costly and harder on the body, or avoiding the situation where
medication is no longer effective for a particular patient. Telephony applications in the health domain,
however, run a much higher risk of negative impact. If a telephony application that automatically
diagnoses health problems based on symptoms provides incorrect or confusing advice, the results
could be very dangerous for the caller.
The tourism domain, however, carries only a low risk of negative impact. For example, if a telephony
application that provides hours and locations of World Cup matches provides incorrect or confusing
information, the result may mean that a handful of people with tickets miss the match, and along with
it, a day's worth of salary. On the other hand, technology deployment in the tourism domain does not
have the potential for life-changing or significant individual impact, and it would be likely only to
address the youth, the poor and non-vulnerable populations. The stakeholders likely to be involved in
the two domains are similar, except that industry is not likely to be involved in technology deployment
in the health domain, and funding agencies are not likely to be involved in technology deployment in
the tourism domain.
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4.3 Workshop 3: Lwazi Application Selection
On 26May 2008 a workshop was held at the HLT meeting room. Fifteen additional colleagues of the
HLT Research Group attended to give input on the selection of a Lwazi application based on our field
research so far.
First, the Application Selection team chose one application to demonstrate (Health) and six
applications to evaluate at the workshop. Their characteristics, as generated by their morphological
analysis, are provided in Appendix 23.
The applications were:
1. Health-based application
2. SASSA application
3. Child-headed household application
4. Community development workers application
5. World Cup Community Tracker
6. SETA services hotline
7. Load shedding hotline
The workshop began with a presentation by Tebogo Gumede (Appendix 21) on the goals, activities
and major findings of the Application Selection team over the period February to May 2008. A second
presentation by Alta de Waal briefly introduced morphological analysis (the method we used to
classify the potential telephony applications). She explained the proposed applications and the
corresponding agreeing variables. She then introduced the skits: the workshop delegates performed
skits in groups of two or three, acting out how each of the proposed applications might work.
After each skit, the workshop delegates were asked to fill in a questionnaire rating the application’s
strengths and weaknesses. After all the skits had been performed, the small groups gave their top
three choices of applications and a brief discussion followed.
Major Findings
The HLT research group roughly categorised the potential applications in two groups: (1) ‘slamdunks,’
applications that were not very challenging and that were likely to be successful, and (2)
experimental applications that were more challenging and pushed the boundaries of what had been
done with this technology, but involved higher risks.
Relevant appendices:
18. Connecting South Africans with Disabilities: Workshop Report (English)
19. Connecting South Africans with Disabilities: Workshop Report (isiZulu)
20. Morphological Analysis Workshop Presentation
21. Lwazi Application Selection Workshop Presentation
22. Morphological Analysis Workshop Lwazi Applications Model
23. Lwazi applications:
• Health
• SASSA
• Child-Headed Households
• Community Development Workers
• World Cup Community Self-Tracker
• SETA Learnership Toolkit
• Load shedding Hotline
13

5 Lwazi Applications
In this section, we provide a list of applications that were evaluated at the final workshop described
above (Section 4.3). We also describe some of the points raised in a follow-up discussion with the
Application Selection team along with the research directors of the HLT Research Group, Dr Marelie
Davel and Prof. Etienne Barnard. We conclude with our proposed selection of two applications to
pursue for the Lwazi project.
5.1 Short List of Lwazi Applications (Appendix 23)
5.1 Health application: Open Phone SA
Several opportunities are possible in the health domain that closely resemble one another in form. A
Lwazi telephony service in the health domain would most likely resemble an ‘Audio Brochure’, like
Open Phone, which was piloted by the HLT in Gaborone, Botswana, which provides caregivers of
children with HIV with static, general health information. Users navigate by pressing buttons and can
leave a message at the end of a call. Content would be natural voice recordings in the local languages
of South Africa.
Content has already been created and piloted by HLT for Open Phone in Botswana. To pilot this in
South Africa (North West), we only require a strong partner, equivalent to Botswana Baylor Children's
Clinic of Excellence, and a technology partner to secure a toll-free number.
5.2 Health application: Audio Soul City
Another possibility is an ‘Audio Brochure’ which provides callers of an unspecified user group (youth)
with static, general health information which adapts Soul City content to the audio format. Soul City
content has been tested in communities and is extremely accessible and effective.
To pilot this application in South African, we may want to partner with Cell Life, who would be
responsible for the SMS portion. It would also require a technology partner to secure a toll-free
number.
5.3 Tshwane Electricity Services (TES)
The Tshwane Load Shedding application is an interactive voice response (IVR) system that callers to
the Tshwane Electricity Services call centre reach before being connected to an operator. Callers give
their language preference and suburb of interest using speech. Basic ASR is used to interpret caller
input and provide the load shedding times for the given suburb.
The output of the system is TTS in three languages (English, Afrikaans and Setswana) which provide
the possible times that particular areas may be affected by load shedding according to updates to the
Tshwane database, which TES employees are responsible for maintaining.
5.4 South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)
A Lwazi application for SASSA would also be an ‘Audio Brochure’ that provides local hours and
information for rural SASSA offices.
Thusong Service Centres and other rural community centres generally have a SASSA office, which is a
major source of income for many rural South Africans, many of whom do not read and write. Applying
and securing a grant may require several trips (wrong hours, incomplete paperwork) to the SASSA
office, which is costly and time-consuming.
Our application would provide callers with eligibility requirements, which would be the same for the
entire country, as well as the hours of operation, costs if any, and location of the nearest SASSA
office. Users will not provide their ID or their suburb. We would pilot this in two Thusong service
centres in the local language of the two chosen regions, in addition to English and Afrikaans. Input
would most likely be dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) (pressing buttons), and output could be a
14

combination of natural voice recordings and advanced TTS.
5.5 World Cup Community Tracker
This application would be our most inventive use of IVR. It is a community-level self-tracking
application as part of a greater government effort to encourage communities to prepare them as hosts
for the World Cup 2010. Members of the community would use the application to set goals for
themselves, such as hygiene, crime reduction, events and small businesses. In addition to setting
goals (“Our community will prepare three events by next month,” or “our community will clean up one
public area this month”), they could report on their achievements (e.g. a youth group calls to report
the preparation for one event).
Community Development Workers could monitor the community’s achievements. competition could
be held and the winners would be acknowledged nationwide (e.g. on a TV show). Input would likely
be audio files of the callers and DTMF (pressing buttons). Output would likely consist of advanced TTS
and audio files of callers and CDWs.
5.6 Child-headed household info line
This ‘Audio Brochure’ would contain static information developed for children who are heads of
households. This would include information on how to access grants, fostering services, free
education, how to connect with a social worker, etc. The IVR application would offer the option to
connect to a Childline operator at any time. The application could be DTMF or ASR for input. Output
would have to be natural voice recordings because the nature of the content requires empathy and
trust.
If a child is prompted to provide his or her address (ASR input), the physical address of the nearest
social work office, contact details and office hours could also be provided. This is a challenge for two
reasons: (1) Accurate databases of addresses seem to be hard to come by, and (2) this application is
high-risk due to the audience, and giving out inaccurate information could be very detrimental.
Speech recognition would have to be adapted to children's speech, which differs from adult speech in
its acoustics (smaller vocal tracts and resonant cavities) and in its discourse patterns (choice of
words).
5.7 Community Development Worker (CDW) application
There are several possibilities for a telephony service that supports the South African Government’s
efforts to connect rural citizens to government services. One possibility is an ‘Audio Brochure’ that
provides hours and directions to Thusong Service Centres and the individual departments at those
centres. Another possibility is an automated hotline that callers to CDWs would reach before reaching
the CDW that may answer many frequently asked questions. A Lwazi telephony service might also
function as an audio tool for one of the major activities of CDWs in rural areas, such as broadcasting
information about upcoming events and thus organising community members.
5.8 SETA services hotline
A Lwazi telephony service could also support the Service SETA's learnership events management
course by providing an automated audio version of toolkits. This service could also support pairings
between mentors and learners in the same industry who are not in the same geographic area.
5.2 Two Selected Applications
During the final workshop, the favourite applications of HLT to emerge were health, TES, SASSA and
the World Cup community tracker. All the applications that were discussed were found to be possible.
It was important though for the team to focus on applications that would enable us to meet our
contractual obligation of ending the project by June2009.
Because of this, the following possible applications were chosen: Tshwane Electricity Services and
Community Development Workers linked with SASSA offices. Tshwane Electricity Services offer a
strong partnership and high visibility in Gauteng, but are less challenging from the point of view of
design and technology. An application to support CDWs and SASSA offices could push the current
15

oundaries of language technologies and will require more partnership building, but is likely to make a
big impact in the lives of individuals in rural areas and thus be highly visible nationwide.
It was agreed at the follow-up meeting to the workshop (Marelie Davel, Nathi Mqalo, Madelaine
Plauché, Alta de Waal, Aditi Sharma, Etienne Barnard and Tebogo Gumede) that we should begin with
our contacts at the CDW national office first, and then get direction and approval. The team would
then choose the CDW offices that have good relationships with their corresponding SASSA office.
Meetings with TES have already been held and the high-level proposal for a load-shedding application
has been approved by both parties. HLT and TES are currently drafting documents to formalise the
project as a first step in its implementation.
16

6 Conclusion
The fact-finding mission conducted for the Lwazi project resulted in several promising contacts for
future collaboration, and there was no shortage of ideas for human language technology
deployments. The Application Selection team was successful in raising awareness about the potential
uses of the language technologies that will soon be available in all 11 official languages of South
Africa. In addition, the team gained a great deal of experience gathering first-hand knowledge about
the usefulness of this technology from rural South Africans, people with disabilities, fellow researchers
and representatives of government and non-governmental organisations. Finally, the Application
Selection team developed a rigorous method for making strategic decisions about the potential impact
and success of technology deployments.
17

Appendix 1 Communication Strategy
Lwazi
A Telephone-based Speech-driven Information Service for South Africa
1. Business Analysis
1.1 Background
1.2 SWOT Analysis
1.3 Target Audience
2. Business Objectives
3. Communications Objectives
4. Communications Plan, Activities and Responsible People
5. Budget
6. Measurement
18

1 Business Analysis
1.1 Background
The CSIR’s Meraka Institute was created as a mandate of the South African President to develope
Information and Communication Technology (ICT). As a result of this mandate, the HLT Research
Group plays a particular role in the Institute by supporting the Government's HLT goals. They are:
• to support language diversity
• to offer free access to information and technology
• to reduce:
• illiteracy barriers
• limited knowledge and fluency in the world languages
• technological illiteracy
• disabilities
• lack of internet access
The HLT Research Group has signed a 3-year contract with the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC)
to develop a multilingual, telephone-based system that will enable callers to access government
services in the official language of their choice through a simple speech-orientated interface that is
suitable for users with limited or no literacy. All 11 official languages should be accommodated. This
system must be completed by September 2009.
The HLT Research Group has chosen a project name – Lwazi. It is an isiZulu word meaning
knowledge or information. The final outputs specified in the contract are:
• Open-source HLT software
• A repository of open linguistic resources such as pronunciation dictionaries available to all
South African researchers via a web-based interface
• Trained HLT developers
• An open platform for telephone-based services that will be usable by government to provide
information and services in any of the South African languages.
• A usable multilingual telephone-based information service.
The communication strategy for Lwazi will be a dynamic process over three years. The first phase of
the strategy will focus on assisting the application selection team with the ground work that has to be
done to get to a point where a prototype service(s) can be developed. The proposed target audiences
to reach will be discussed under Section 1.c: Target Audience.
1.2 SWOT Analysis
Strengths (Internal) Opportunities (External)
1. Dedicated team with dedicated resources 1. Exposure for HLT RG and Meraka
Institute
2. Experience, although a young research team,
to develop as per the technical requirements
and final outputs of the contract.
2. This South African success story will stir
international interest.
3. Good stakeholder relationships 3. Lwazi will generate interest among
young researchers interested in linguistics
and engineering.
4. Support from Meraka Institute Management 4. Improvement of quality of lives of many
as a direct result of the telephone-based,
speech-driven information system.
5. Project funding available 5. Ever-growing land line and cellphone
base in SA
19

Strengths (Internal) Opportunities (External)
6. Good relationship between HLT RG and
project collaborators (NWU)
Weaknesses (Internal) Threats (External)
1. Because the scope of the project is so wide, it
is a challenging project. Currently the
application selection is the biggest challenge.
2. Communication with collaborators can be
cumbersome as they are not based on site.
3. Only 2 full-time resources in HLT RG, the rest
of the team will also continue with their studies
and other duties, which impacts on the
momentum of the project at times.
1.3 Target Audience
In order of importance for the communication activities:
1. Potential lack of interest/participation of
application partner
2. Widespread illiteracy (although this can
be seen as an opportunity, basic training
on how the system operates will have to
be provided).
a. Government
To narrow down the communication tasks of targeting government services (as per the project
definition), the contract states:
“... at least two pilot services in the health care of social development domain must be implemented
...”
"Social development" is a very broad term. The Department of Social Development specifically focuses
on:
• rebuilding family, community and social relations
• an integrated poverty-eradication strategy
• a comprehensive social security system
• HIV and AIDS
• youth development
• accessibility of social welfare services
• services to people with disabilities
• commitment to cooperative governance
• training, educating, redeploying and employing a new category of workers in social
development
• preventing violence against women and children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.
The most promising meeting the Lwazi team had with a potential government application partner was
with GCIS (Government Communication and Information Services ) on their web-based project they
have done for the Department of Public Service and Administration. They have developed a site aimed
at providing information on various government services to ordinary citizens, organisations and
foreign nationals, and it is available in all eleven official languages.
The individual to target in a government department is of extreme importance and differs from
department to department. Existing relationships between senior-level Meraka Management and
government heads will make securing appointments easier.
b. Government-related institutions
More specifically, non-government organisations (NGO's). The big NGOs have money, resources and
the focused purpose to deliver on community initiatives. The ideal will be to find one that already has
a willing community and project to make this service a real solution. Again, existing relationships will
20

go a long way to getting a foot in the door. If no relationships exist, a shortlist of three NGOs should
be targeted.
c. Telephone and cellphone companies
Who has a vested interest in promoting the use of telephony systems more so than these
organisations? All of them have a social responsibility (to be good corporate citizens) and again,
existing relationships can be investigated to see if there's a match with what their initiatives are and
what team Lwazi is hoping to achieve.
As mentioned before, the communication strategy will be a dynamic process over three years. For
phase 1, this is the list of the target audiences. End-users, for example, will be targeted much later
when there is a tangible application to test or promote.
2. Business Objectives
The HLT Research Group has been tasked by the Department of Arts and Culture to develop a
multilingual, telephone-based system that will enable callers to access government services in the
official language of their choice through a simple speech-orientated interface that is suitable for users
with limited or no literacy. All 11 official languages should be accommodated.
3. Communication Objectives for Phase 1
• To introduce Lwazi to the correct individual within the relevant government department
or within an NGO
• To get them excited and ultimately to get their buy-in.
4. Communications Plan, Activities and Responsible People
Plan Activities Responsible People
(1) Fact-finding mission within
Meraka to establish where
existing good and senior
government relationships
exist
(2) Fact-finding mission within
Meraka to establish where
existing good and senior
NGO relationships exist
(3) Fact-finding mission within
Meraka to establish where
existing good and senior
telephone and cellphone
company relationships
exist
Informal meetings to be set
up with targeted managers to
explain why we are
approaching them
Informal meetings to be set
up with targeted managers to
explain why we are
approaching them. If no
relationships within Meraka,
then sift through list of BoH
and decide on 3 to target
Continue with informal
meetings within Meraka
(Marelie Davel/Biffy van Rooyen to
assist, i.e. Kobus Roux's work with
the Medical Research Council)
• Jimmy Masalesa
• Tebogo Gumede
• Where needed, Marelie
Davel
1. Tebogo Gumede (obviously
the NGO question can be
asked during the same
informal meeting as
proposed in point 1)
• Tebogo Gumede (get
assistance from Christiaan-
SNO relationship)
21

Plan Activities Responsible People
(4) Create and populate a
targeted database.
(5) Presentation material and
rehearsing of presentation
This database must capture
contact information on
individuals to target. It can
be small, as long as it's
impactful and complete
Once the database has been
created and buy-in obtained from
Meraka colleagues to target these
individuals, the presentation
material must be prepared and the
presenter for a specific meeting
must be decided on
(6) Public Relations Shared Services to continue
to look for every opportunity
to talk about Lwazi. At this
stage we do not want to
spend money on this but
merely piggy-back on
opportunities that Biffy knows
about
(7) Website Ready to go live, bar one
technical problem. No
campaign around the
website, it merely offers an
opportunity to contact us and
read more about the project
(8) Photoshoot Biffy van Rooyen to give an
update
5. Budget
• Tebogo Gumede
• Content: Jimmy Masalesa/
Tebogo Gumede
• Presentation look & feel:
Carmen Moors/Nathi Mqalo
• Video file: Carmen Moors/
Nathi Mqalo
• Creative hand-out pack:
Carmen Moors/Nathi Mqalo
• Biffy van Rooyen
• Carmen Moors
• Carmen Moors
• Jimmy Masalesa/Tebogo
Gumede/Aditi Sharma
(monitor the
lwazi@meraka.csir.co.za
inbox)
• Biffy van Rooyen
Activities completed Cost (excluding Vat)
Production of two versions of printed leaflets R7 854.16
Re-production of mini CD R2 416.17
Website R5 550.00
Future Activities
Presentation template R750.00
Video file R20 000.00 (maximum)
Creative hand-out pack R2 000.00
6. Measurement
R40 000.00
How does one measure the success of a communication strategy? There are many industry measures,
among others calculating the return on investment. In this case, we are looking at a potential
communication investment of R40 000.00.
22

The real value of finding an application partner or getting a tangible lead that results in the finding of
an application partner, is invaluable. How does one map it back to the communications activities? The
question remains: will we get value for our spending?
The only measurement for phase 1 of the communication strategy is continued stakeholder
satisfaction with regard to the selection of the application partner.
23

Appendix 2 Lwazi Targeted Database (cleaned-up Google Doc)
Application
Ideas
Possible
Contacts in
the Field
from
Wireless
Group
ACTS
Description History Contacts
These are mainly contacts that
we can work with for KIIs.
ACTS (Aids Care Training and
Support) clinic is a non-profit
organisation operating in
Peebles Valley, in the Masoyi
and Northern Nzikazi areas
close to White River in
Mpumalanga. ACTS offer a
comprehensive service caring
for people at all stages of
HIV/AIDS. This ‘Continuum of
Care’ begins with voluntary
testing, counselling and
creating HIV awareness. They
also provide other services such
as HIV medical care, homebased
& hospice care, training
of caregivers and community
programmes, HIV orphans.
Wireless Africa
(WA) Meeting
More info on
contact from
above
Local Champion at
Pebble's Valley is Rev.
Harry Munnings,
Details:
hmunnings@actsclinic.
com,
T: +27(0)13 751 1515,
F: +27(0)13 751 5231
See above
Background/Informati
on
Peeble's Valley: Project
Overview at
http://www.fmfi.org.za/
wiki/index.php/Mpuma
langa_Mesh:Project_Overv
iew. WA had very good
Local Champion at
Pebble's Valley: Rev. Harry
Munnings who runs the
ACTS clinic a NPO for
providing AIDS care.
http://www.actsclinic.com/
Final Decision
Abandoned –
could not
contact
Abandoned –
could not
contact
24

Supporting
the
Infopreneur
Inforpreneurs are a source of
local knowledge – they are
drumming up business for
themselves by advertising their
services locally. They are also
connected with national/global
knowledge through telephone
or computer. If a person calls a
national line, they might first
(or later) get connected to (or
informed of) this local
infopreneur who can be of
greater help to them than a
national line by virtue of
proximity and local knowledge.
(push - pull system)
Meeting with
Mario Marais
(20 Feb 08).
2. Medical Research
Council (MRC) contacts
(get from Ajay Makan)
3. Ndweza, Eastern
Cape
Rensie van Rensburg:
champion of
infopreneur franchise at
the CSIR, working in
Limpopo. We also
talked about wireless
groups (community
informatics systems)
Jackques and Manesh.
Also talked about RED
DOOR PROJECT as a
‘quick win’ because this
provincial initiative in
economic dev. is well
established and has
champions. Mario also
mentioned the need for
a feedback loop –
person informs provider
of service how well the
system is working so it
can be improved. How
can Lwazi make the
system a ‘learning
system’
Could be useful to contact
MRC for health domain
apps.
WA has a project with
Rhodes university & Nokia-
Siemens in Dwesa.
Application can sit on base
station servers deployed in
community.
An infopreneur is a person
who benefits financially
from a service provider
(NGO/government) to
dissiminate local,
contextual information to
the public – that way
information has a local
context and becomes
more valuable: local
context as interface
Abandoned –
already have
numerous
Health
applications
Abandoned –
project too new
for
collaboration
Abondoned –
could not
contact
25

Infopreneurs
and
Thusong
Service
Centres
Thusong
Service
Centres
Load shedding
Infoline
Energy-
Saving
Public
Service
System
Language
Learning
Toolkit for
Call Centre
Operators
Franchise model. SMME toolbox
called InTouch (windows
based, licensed)
KIIs at as many of these
centres as we can in month of
April. KIIs of govt. workers,
community members, NGO
workers and CDW workers.
User provides neighborhood or
streets, app. recognises using
ASR, load shedding schedule
for the day is provided using
TTS.
Similar to OpenPhone. Could
have images too and be played
in customer service centres
while people queue up. This is
a new programme for
Tshwane.
Provides quizzes and practice
for second language learning
for call centre operators to use
during downtime. Could include
levels and be a course they
would work through. This
would improve their ability to
answer calls in more
languages. Much of the info
they recieve and distribute are
stock and common phrases.
Identify home language for the
rest of the call.
Meeting with
Rensie - Feb
25, 08
Tshwane
Electricity
Services
Meeting (26
February)
YACS (Daniel van
Vuuren) - Youth Advice
centres
Lizelle Veenemans,
lizellev@tshwane.gov.
za. Mr Kapari Moraka,
e-mail:
KapariM@tshwane.gov.
za
Provide load shedding
schedules through a
speech app.
Abondoned –
could not
contact
Selected as a
potential
Application
Selected as a
potential
Application
Did not explore
Did not explore
Did not explore
26

Digital
Doorway
Personalised
Greeting
and
Tutuorial
Digital
Doorway
TTS Demo
PAJA
Singa
Singela
User logs in (profile includes
name and home language),
then system uses TTS to say in
home language: "Hi Sipho, we
can see this is your first time to
log in, would you like to learn
more about ..." Also we talked
of extending this to customising
the desktop in some way.
TTS demo in home language
with bad word filter.
Multilingual support for PAJA
process. Notification of status
and justification for
administrative decisions
Real-life game with clues,
awards and puzzles for
vulnerable children that leads
them to places of help (soup
kitchens, etc.), teaches them
how to become citizens (get a
birth certificate) and empowers
them to solve real-life
problems. In the early phases,
designed but not yet funded.
Meeting with
Nikki, Kim
Gush, Grant
(21 Feb)
Same as above
Meeting with
Jackie & Marita
(25 February)
Merryl in
Education
Talk to Merryl in
Education about "Singa
Singela" project.
Something about kids
calling in to collaborate.
Also Sam skosana is
someone who works
here who speaks all 11
languages and has
done some recordings
in the past. IKS -
Indigeneous Knowledge
Systems - Nikki says
she will set up a
meeting for HLT with
them. Nicki
Koorbanally, Innovation
Outcomes Manager,
Tel: +27 12 841 4532
GTZ - German NGO and
main providers of
content for PAJA
website.
Promotion of the
Administrative Justice Act
Did not explore
Could easily do
this later
Not selected.
Quite similar to
SASSA
application
Did not choose
as a potential
application
27

Access to
Education
Repositories
Establish
Communitybased
Process for
TTS/ASR
Open-
Source
Software
Call Centre
World Cup
Locationbased
Services
Adapt MobilED
http://www.mobiled.org to be
able to access sites such as
WikiEduator.org, cnx.org, etc.
with the option of reading out
the alternate text for images
and video clips etc. Notice the
wiki approach: anyone can edit
anything any time - the
community of users populates
and modifies the info.
Project picks an example and
demonstrates improved search
capability at one of the
education sites (or Wikipedia).
Not sure what this means,
clarify with Kim at some point.
Offered to use their Gui for
community of users to
contribute.
There is a policy on open
source software in SA and
efforts to train and support
people migrating to open
source software. For example,
one could SMS or say
"OpenOffice", "Writer", "find",
to hear something like "press
control F or mouse to Edit, ..."
"food" "bar" "pub" "train"
"hotel" etc. travel info
telephone system
Kim Tucker in
Education
group
Kim Tucker in
Education
group
Kim Tucker in
Education
group
Kim Tucker and
others
Follow up about
community-based userpopulated
info – they
have a guide of some
sort that could support
us.
Audio Wiki was
chosen as a
potential
application
Did not choose
as a potential
application
Did not choose
as a potential
application
Did not choose
as a potential
application
28

2010 World
Cup
Language
Learning
Module for
Website
For tourists in other countries
to hear the sounds of South
African languages and learn a
few phrases from their webiste.
Based on language learning
demo.
Meeting with
Clare Wyllie
and Kholiswa
Kleinbooi (28
February)
Lots of great contacts!!
(1) Garth Japhet NGO
called Heartlines (2)
South African Tourism -
for tourism app. they
plan to use print & web
guides (3) Dept. of
Education – schools
world cup, audio app to
find out how to get
involved in your area
(4) Services Seta –
audio version of toolkit
for running communitybased
events, currently
using print guide that is
distributed
(5)Volunteers – audio
registration of
volunteers for FIFA,
needs some security
aspect, ID and bank
details involved. (6)
Sports and Recreation –
she warned this might
not be a good contact.
SOUL CITY:
Possible
application
SCHOOLS
WORLD CUP:
Not selected
because info
required will
need too much
manpower,
time, cost to
collect.
SERVICE SETA:
Possible
application
GCIS WORLD
CUP: Provide
language
learning
phrases on
their website
(no telephony),
still under
consideration
on their side.
29

World Cup
Social
Community
Development
Automated
Hotline
Using
Cellphones
to Provide
Direct
Communica
-tions and
Information
to People
Infected
and
Affected by
HIV/AIDS
Modelled after selfimprovement
health dialog
systems, this would apply at
the community level, allowing
communities to set goals for
themselves (hygiene, crime,
etc.) and check in about
progress, they could check their
progress relative to other
communities and progress
through the dialog system.
Winners would appear on a
reality TV show. This would be
in parallel with the DAC
programme to prepare
communities for their role as
hosts in 2010.
Three-year funding to develop
cellphone tools to provide info
and comms services for HIV
infected. System free to the
end user. Use SMS and chat
type sytem (MXit using GPRS).
The project wants to
experiment with voice,
cellphone games, videos, etc.
Currently looking for partners
to provide accessible content
and run pilots in two
communities.
Ms Rosemary
Mangope
(youth social
development).
Meeting with
her and
Nicoleen,
Tebogo
Gumede and
Madelaine
Plauche in early
February.
Tebogo
Gumede
contact at
Health Care
Conference
(February
2008)
Need to follow up with
Nicoleen, read Social
Cohesion report.
Tebogo Gumede met
with Nicoleen. They
are writing a concept
paper to submit to
Dr Jokweni and Marelie
Cell Life based in Cape
Town. They develop
technical systems for
HIV care and
treatment. Peter
Benjamin:
peter@cell-life.org.za
082 829 3353.
Coming to present
study at HLT.
Cell Life:
Possible app as
SA OpenPhone
or partnership
with SOUL
CITY.
30

Vukasizwe -
DAC
Durban
Community
Art Centre
Other
Threads to
Explore
Text-Based
Applications
on
Cellphones
Jozini –
Rural and
Disabilities
Catholic
Women's
League
A group working with orphans
and women’s projects. Based in
Soweto. Area is Semi-urban. It
is next to 2010 stadium, next to
Hector Pieterson museum, next
to main road and there are a
number of small businesses
(carpentry, clothing and
printing). DAC would like to
assist this group in cleaning up
the place. They need the
community to be excited about
the project.
Does community work in
Durban. They run art centres
for kids (dance, art, etc.)
Is there a way to extend preexisting
text-based apps on
cellphones? Banking, financial
services, buying airtime for
minutes
Conduct KIIs among previous
workshop participants and
others in Jozini
Pretoria KIIs
Got the contact
through DAC.
DAC is looking
at collaborating
with Sabela
Sizwe
(women's
group in
Vukasizwe)
Nicoleen
contact
Marita
suggestion
Pam McLaren
from
Pietermartizburg
workshop
offered to take
us (3 March)
Helped Lwazi
with initial
interviews
(2007)
Contact person is
Charlien 0847759814
Nise 0825569807 (hard
to contact) very active
in community
development work
Friend of Olga
Martirosian – Louisa
On hold due to
DAC internal
priorities but
possible
application.
Not selected as
an application
Not pursued as
an application
Abandoned -
bureaucratic
red tape
Did not explore
31

Take up
SITAs 1020
Number –
Kid
Applications
Unemployment
Insurance
Fund –
Track and
Trace
DPSA -
CDWs
Possibly link with World Cup or
other kid projects
Tracking progress of social
service grants, other
government processes
Met with Neo and J.J. – they
want to set up a meeting with
their CDW coordinator. Also
they suggested we provide a
presentation that shows clearly
how a Lwazi app would fit into
the CDW system. They can
possibly arrange for us to
interview CDWs
Kagiso Chikane
suggests to talk
to Riette
Easton and
Hina Patel
(Feb/March)
Meeting with
Neo and J.J. at
DPSA (26
March) talked
about SITA and
CDW
Facilitator of CDWs
Did not explore
Did not explore
Continuing
partnership
with DPSA.
Selected as an
application.
Tebogo
Gumede
pursuing way
forward.
32

Appendix 3 Stakeholder Presentation
Lwazi
Telephone
Information Service
LWAZI
Human
Language
Technologies
• President Mbeki’s call in Feb 2002
• 3 year project funded by the Department of
Arts and Culture (DAC)
• Meraka Solution: A Telephone-Based
Information Service
• Easily accessible - Telephone & Cell phone,
Toll-free
• In language of choice - 11 official languages
• Nationally available - Through a single number
33

HLT RESEARCH GROUP
we make it easier for people to interact with
machines.
• Speech and Language Technologies
– Speech recognition (ASR)
– Speech synthesis (TTS)
• Relevant, applicable research
– Telephone-based pilot information
• services
– Usability evaluation
• Collaborative projects &
partnerships
HLT RESEARCH GROUP
We make it easier for people to interact with machines.
Developing Speech and Language
technologies
Creating services for the developing
world that use speech
Computers working in all languages
and for all cultures
34

LWAZI PROJECT GOALS
Reduce barriers to
Health
Employment
Safety
Education
Social and Govt. Services
Legal Services
Business (SMME)˫
Transportation
We are looking for the winning
application!
Support and increase
language diversity
service delivery
accessibility to
information technology
GET INVOLVED
• Why?
– Make an impact in your field
» ...solve a problem or reach a new demographic...
– Influence the choice of application to suit your needs
» ...reduce operational costs and save time...
– Be part of something new and interesting
» ...great publicity!...
• How?
– Give us your insight
– Help us with resources
» ...contacts, knowledge, content...
– Propose ideas for an application
35

CONCLUSION
THANK YOU
Lwazi@meraka.csir.co.za
36

Appendix 4 Lwazi Website
http://www.meraka.org.za/lwazi/
Sponsor
www.dac.gov.za
Meraka Institute
www.meraka.org.za
Human Language Technologies at Meraka
www.meraka.org.za/hlt
ownloads
Lwazi Brochure PDF
"Language Learning" and "Child Immunisation" demo
Links

Appendix 5 Focus Group Questionnaires
Key Informant Interview Guide
Interviewer:
Interviewer
Date
Time
Place
Gender
Approximate age
Key informant:
Full name
Job title
Training
Primary responsibility
How long employed
Where employed before
TSC:
When was centre established?
Catchment area
How many people / HH does it serve?
How many staff members?
What are the responsibilities of each member?
How are the hours and services communicated to community?
How effective are these methods?
How else does the TSC serve/interact with the community?
What is the relationship to National CDW office?
How often do you meet?
Communication channels
What are the channels of communication with National CDW office?
What are the channels of communication between TSC?
What are the channels of communication with other provincial CDW offices?
How often?
How effective?
What are the challenges in service delivery?
Why do people come to the centre?
How do you determine their needs?
Is there a referral system if their needs aren’t met by the centre?
CDW
What questions do CDWs get asked the most?
How do you know what questions CDWs get asked the most?
Is there a referral system if their needs aren’t met by the CDWs?
Community stats:

Languages spoken
Is there a clinic in the area served?
Is there a hospital?
How far to the clinic? Main form/cost of transport?
How far to hospital? Main form/cost of transport?
What other health services are available?
Other NGOs and groups that operate in the area.
What are the depts. in this centre?
What services does each department provide?
What are their hours?
How long do people wait for services?
How long do people travel for services?
Are their needs generally met?
Is there a referral system for unmet needs?
Infrastructure
How many computers in the centre?
How often do you use a computer?
What do you use it for?
Do you have any formal computer training?
Do you have a personal cellphone?
Is there a landline?
Who pays for the land line?
How often do you use your land line / cellphone?
How often do you use your personal cellphone for business?
What do you use it for?
How many fax machines?
What do you use them for?
Are you affected by load shedding?
How often do you loose power?
What are you able to do in case of power loss?
Organisation
What business are we in? What services do we provide?
(How are we an asset to the community and or the system?)
What do we provide to the poorest of the poor?
What resources do you have to provide the services?
How do we divide up the work?
Do all needed tasks have incentives?
Have we adequate coordinating technologies?
How do we manage conflict among people?
Who assists in achieving their objectives?
Ethics
What is your vision / mission?
What are your objectives?
What are the guiding principles to ensure that the objectives are achieved?
What is the basis of these principles / how did you develop these principles?
What are the measures to ensure that the principles are upheld / adhered to?

What is your view on fairness with respect to the delivery of your programme?
What do you think people’s views are with respect to fairness?
Do you get any complaints?
What else can you tell us about the community you serve and the role you play?
Available resources:
Do you have a list of the households served?
Do you have information on the socioeconomics of the area served (income, language, literacy)?
Do you have employment info on area served?
Do you have info on technology / media use in the area?
Do you have info on household expenditures in the area?
Can we meet the village ward or chief?
Do you have contacts for people to hire to conduct HH surveys?
Do you have education or literacy info on area served?
Focus Group Discussion Guide
Interviewer
Interviewer
Date
Time
Place
Gender
Approximate age
Group characteristics
Full name
Job title
Training
Primary responsibility
How long employed
Where employed before
Home language
Languages spoken
Literacy level
Education
Describe your average work day
What do you love most about your work?
What is the challenging aspect of your work?
Do you use a computer / cellphone / fax in your work?
Why or why not? Would you like to?
Who pays? How much does it cost?
How much of your day is speaking English vs.
How many languages are spoken in your community?
How do people mainly communicate with you?
How do you keep up to date on serves?
How do you advertise these services to your community?
Do these methods change for younger / older people?

Citizen guide
Interviewer
Interviewer
Date
Time
Place
Gender
Approximate age
Key informant
Full name
Job title
Training
Primary responsibility
How long employed
Where employed before
Education
Home language
Other languages
Literacy level
Person in waiting room
Why are you here?
Have you been here before?
How far have you travelled?
How did you travel?
What was the cost?
How did you know about the centre?
Did you have to take time off from work / responsibilities to come?
Would you refer friends and family to this TSC?
What other govt. services do you use on a regular basis?

Appendix 6 TES Focus Group Discussion Consent Form
14 December 2007
Dear agent
My name is Tebogo Gumede; I come from the CSIR – Human Language Technology division in the CSIR’s
Meraka Institute. We are here today to gather information about the Call Centre to assist its maximum
function.
As part of this data gathering and this visit, we would like to know more about the people who work at
the centre. Kindly give us 5 minutes of your time and fill in the questionnaire provided.
Note that it is not compulsory to fill in this questionnaire. All information gathered will be handled
confidentially. Should you not wish to answer, kindly note that this will not impact or affect
your employment in any way.
……………………………………………
Agent’s signature

Appendix 7 SITA Site Visit Report
Report on the visit to SITA on Friday, 14 December 2007
The goal of the visit was to gather background information on the SITA and understand the current day-
to-day operations of the Call Centre (CC) in order to determine how a spoken dialog system or other
human language technologies might support their existing operations.
We gathered information on the history of the centre, daily operations of the CC though observing the
agents taking calls, basic caller information. We showed them the Lwazi demo application. We received
one day’s data of call recordings.
Interview with Diane, Ernest and Pieter
SITA is engaging CSIR because they want to cut down the number of employees during the night shift
and to reduce and or eliminate prank calls
This call centre was established four years ago. It was formed from the old government department call
centres. The Gateway project started in 2002–2003. SITA hosts the GCIS website and DPSA is
responsible for the marketing of the call centre services. The Vuk’uzenzele magazine is a good marketing
place and has yielded a bigger response rate than other mediums. Cellphone companies had a different
agreement with Telkom, but DPSA was (at the time of the visit) negotiating with Telkom to make access
to the services free when calling from a cellphone.
Telkom has the number 10210 as its voicemail number. Many people miss the 1 and end up in the 1020
call centre.
Prank calls
• Prank calls are a big problem and greater during school holidays.
• Some prank calls are abusive – bad emotionally for agents.
• This is not a unique problem, the emergency number also receives very high numbers of
prank calls.
• Dropped calls may be user-initiated or a disconnection.
• SITA pay for the calls, the agents become frustrated by the quantity which hovers around
90% of all calls.
Suggested solutions to pranks
• They can identify the number.
• Call duration is usually very similar.
• Can’t block number indefinitely because it’s a public phone; should block number for a

certain amount of time.
• Technical problem releasing blocked numbers.
Current protocol
They use a DTMF menu for call routing. The number 1020 used to be a Telkom help line until 2001. Now
there is a DTMF option in the initial menu to explain that this service has moved, but people are
persistent about speaking to an operator, so they don’t select the option.
Callers are asked for their province, their language and how they got the 1020 number. Telkom numbers
are now portable so it’s not possible to pin down a number to an address.
The call centre currently covers 10 of the 11 languages. No foreign languages: if they were to add any,
they would add French and Portuguese.
The menu structure is:
Technical
• Language
• Telkom or gateway
• Person, business or organisation
There is a problem with releasing a number once it has been blocked, i.e. they have problems releasing a
blocked number after 30 minutes or so, for example.
Telephony system
SITA makes use of an Aspect telephony system for their call centre. Aspect is a fully fledged Automatic
Call Distribution (ACD) solution. The ACD is responsible for distributing incoming calls to a specific group
of terminals that agents use. According to Pieter von Mollendorf, the technical manager at SITA, it will be
possible to interface an Asterisk software PBX solution with the Aspect system. Aspect Software has
deployed their system together with Asterisk Business Edition. A company by the name of Ocular
Technologies is the Aspect channel partner in South Africa, and they provided SITA with their system. A
contact person at Ocular Technologies has been obtained if we require more details about the Aspect
system at SITA.
Agents
There are 36 agents. Gateway employees receive one week of training. Grant and fraud helpline
employees receive three weeks of training. Usually agents do both so training lasts for one month. More

female agents work during the day, but there are more women employees in general.
Their training includes:
• Hardware (system)
• How to use the portal
• Buddy observation
• Induction programme (two weeks)
Agent turnover is low; not too many resignations. The call centre management tries to have motivational
projects for agents. The call centre also used to have DSTV at night so agents had something to do. It
was not there on the day of our visit. It is not clear if it was down because the centre was being
renovated. Another tool they are planning to add with the renovation is the screen showing call stats
with how many calls in the queue.
Agents are punctual, dedicated and happy! Diane works weekends looking at shift reports to make sure
everything is running smoothly.
A quality control team (consists of seven people) was recently established (2007). This team put in place
new induction programme for new agents. They also spend substantial time listening to call recordings in
order to assist agents in maintaining a certain service standard. They try to listen to at least one call for
every agent at different times of the day. Calls are hand picked (try to find long calls so that they’re not
short pranks). The call centre does not have a client monitoring and evaluation mechanism/tool. This is
mainly because they are unable to collect user details during the calls.
Individual government departments are responsible for updating their sites on the portal. The challenge
with this is that the call centre does not receive warnings when adverts for new products/services are
made so sometimes they get lots of calls without warning. Agents mainly use Portal, specific government
departments’ websites and Vuk’uzenzele to answer questions. Agents are almost always able to answer
questions or forward them to the right place. The exception are calls where Vuk’uzenzele prints “for more
information, call 1020” after an article and agents don't know anything more than what is in the article.
SITA does not receive notice when the website changes, the agents sometimes use government
department sites for the latest information – however this is not official!
The agents’ call protocol includes:
• Must give formal greeting
• Say “Good morning/afternoon”
• Who is speaking?
• How can I help you?

• Should not tell prankers what to do (“Stop playing with that phone ”); should just put down.
The agents are divided into teams with team leaders. The team leader is selected based on the following
responsibilities:
• Older agent
• Meets with supervisor
• Leads 12–14 people
• Appointed in that position (didn’t answer calls before)
• Makes sure that systems and tools are working
• Perform quality checks
• Write shift reports
• Handle administration
Agent questionnaires
Questionnaires were handed out to the agents in order to collect some extra information. It was found
that of the agents who provided their age, they were between mid-twenties and mid-thirties. As for
languages, English was spoken by the most agents, with isiZulu and Sesotho coming in second. Ndebele
and SiSwati were not spoken by any of the agents; however, some were able to understand the
languages. In terms of language translation, very few of the agents had any formal training, and those
were only able to translate up to three languages. Most of the agents had diplomas in various fields of
study, although there were some who only had matric certificates. On average, the agents who
participated in the group sessions had been working for the call centre for two years or more. This is a
positive indicator that shows job satisfaction despite the prank call problem.
Monthly reports
SITA is operating and managing the call centre for DPSA. They therefore prepare monthly reports for
them. The service agreement is that SITA answers 80% of the calls within 20 seconds. According to
these reports, further analysis of the data might reveal other peaks in calls which help staff agents
according to need or address the prank call problem.
Observation of Call Centre
Ernest showed us the SITA Government support centre, 70–100 cubicles. Each workstation has a phone,
workstation, headphones and folders. 34 people in total cover the 24-hour shifts. The space is shared
with another 40 people who operate other call centres (e.g. fraud). Service centre agents route calls to IT
remote support if they can't solve a problem, then to a field agent. Resolution is tracked to see how long
it takes to solve.
The area where the agents were situated was a newly remodelled area, with plans to expand to include
50 agents for correctional facilities call centre. A large room is walled off with transparent glass walls.

Inside are 15 pods of 10 workstations each separated by low transparent separators which, like the desks
and the pod configuration, are round in shape. The room is quiet. Later they hope to have a large screen
visible from anywhere in the room that shows live call centre stats – who is on the phone.
Ernest explained that Gateway and grant calls have been merged to optimise capacity and reduce
duplication. Also agents get a break from the prank calls.
The room is shared by consultant call agents. 6–8 pods are for SITA agents. One set of equipment used
by 3 people in separate shifts work behind a tinted glass wall to the left. To the right are two meeting
rooms – one for one-on-one meetings with an agent, one for training, which they try to do for 5–10 new
agents at a time.
Agent observation 1
According to the agent prankers are mostly male, 90% of whom are schoolboys. In terms of the software
the agent felt that there was too much to fill in the system even when the call was a prank. She said that
she is at times not fast enough (which could be a network problem for that day) and this leads to some
calls not being logged. Prank calls: leaving the call on for longer that 12 s is fine. Some leave it on while
they log it – probably to give them time to log it properly?
Calls observed
Prank call:
• Boy
• Older (as opposed to very young)
• 12 seconds before agent hangs up
Normal call:
• Number for department of home affairs in KwaZulu-Natal
• System slow (network problems)
• Person gets put on hold
• She tells them they can call back later if they need to
• She tells them some things from memory
Agent observation 2 (Lorraine)
Phone rings quietly one-and-a-half times. It displays: “VENDA:PEOPLE Bad line? Emergency Wrap-up New
Info”.
Lorraine greets the caller in Venda. Older boy's voice says “Hello, hello, hello (laughter)”. Lorraine hangs
up after 12 seconds. She says 90% of prank calls are from schoolboys.

She logs the call on her PC which is running BMC IT Service by typing her name, selecting “prank call”
and typing in “kids playing”. She must select other things by clicking 6–8 times on various menus. She
must retype her name and “kids playing” each time this happens. It takes her approximately 4–5
minutes to log a call. System is usually faster – Diane explains that it is likely a server problem.
Phone rings 3 minutes later. It displays “VENDA:ORGANISATION”. This time a young girl is shouting.
Phone rings 3 minutes later. She greets and the call is dropped.
Phone rings again – Lorraine cannot log all the calls, as they are coming in faster than she can log them.
Display ?(I missed it). Adult male voice asks in Venda “Is Loreto there?” She says no there is no Loreto,
logs the call as a “wrong number.”
Phone rings. VENDA: ORGANISATION. Waits 12 seconds. Hangs up and logs as prank call.
Phone rings. VENDA: ORGANISATION. Waits 11 seconds. Hangs up and logs as prank call.
Phone rings. ENGLISH: PEOPLE. Sound of buttons being pressed. Hangs up and logs as prank call.
Phone rings. VENDA: PEOPLE. Young boy's voice says in Venda “Can I have music please.” Lorraine says
sometimes the same person calls again or sometimes adults will call and say “I’m looking for a job.”
Phone rings. VENDA: FOREIGNER. Voices laughing and talking to someone else. Waits 12 seconds. Hangs
up and logs as prank call.
Phone rings. VENDA: PEOPLE. Young boy's voice says in Venda “Play the music.” Waits 12 seconds.
Hangs up and logs as prank call.
Phone rings. VENDA: ORGANISATION. Waits 12 seconds. Hangs up and logs as prank call.
Vuk’uzenzele
SITA receives a mock copy before it is printed. Team leaders along with Diane check all phone numbers
in the magazine to make sure that they work. Diane checks the content before it is printed and
distributed. The common problem is that the magazine adds “For more info, call 1020” at the end of
issues when SITA agents don't have any more information than appears in the magazine.

It matters when and where this magazine goes out because lots of callers either find out about the 2010
service from it or are reminded of it. The agents believe that the monthly call spikes happen mostly
about two weeks after the magazine is out.
When somebody asks for a copy of Vuk’uzenzele they give them the address of nearby clinics, police
stations, etc. If these facilities are not nearby, they take down the postal address of the caller and e-mail
it to Hilton Filstman, who will send the next issue directly to their home.
The magazine can be obtained at:
GCIS
Clinic
Police station
Can give them postal address and they send it along.
Focus Group Discussions
We had two focus group discussions with the agents. During these discussions we asked the agents to
share with us their job challenges and fulfilments.
Group 1
During the first discussion we spoke to six agents, two males and four females. The agents had been
with SITA for a period of 6 months to 5 years. During the discussion, Diane was part of the group and
made some of the responses.
Diane
Kodal (2 yrs, M)
Corea (5 yrs, F)
Virginia (5 yrs, F)
Israel (2.5 yrs, F)
Esmants (F)
Mathilda (6 months, M)
o If something is not in the portal, they have to assume it’s inaccurate.
• An agent typically gives requested information to a caller. Once the information has been
provided, the agent asks if it was sufficient. If the information is sufficient then the agent
tells the caller to call again if they need any more information.

• 3–10 is the day shift
• 10–7 is the night shift
• Some said 60 out of 150 calls in a shift are real – but some say it’s much less.
• Customer service training is done by a private company.
• Call length depends on an agent’s ability to understand a request by the caller.
• If the information a person wants is not available, log it. That way they can fix it.
• Longest call – one hour, low literacy caller, difficult to understand and difficult for her to
understand SITA info.
Prank calls
• Prank callers normally call back again several times on the same day. One child calls over
and over – sometimes all day
• Prank calls can start sounding fine but get more violent
• In school holidays there are more prank calls
• The majority of the prank calls are made by English, Afrikaans and isiZulu callers. This could
also be due to the fact that the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) routing options starts with
these languages.
• The agents are obliged to be courteous to prank callers. The calls are recorded for quality
control purposes.
• Frustrating calls are adult prank calls – very aggressive, swearing
• The most difficult part of being an agent is the abuse received from callers. The agents feel
that they need to uphold the image of the government, and thus need to develop a high
level of patience in order to deal with difficult callers
• Some of the things that prank callers say include:
� Utterances such as “You are eating our [public’s] money” or “ I love you”
� Singing or asking for a song which plays while call is on hold
� Reading
� Screaming
� Hitting phone on something
� Laughing
The agents would like the system to detect and automatically log prank calls.
Challenges
• Educational advice
• Patience
• Confidence
• Assurance
• Trustworthiness
• Representing the image of the government
• They feel “stress in a good way” – they feel responsible for being the ambassadors of the
government.
What they enjoy about their job
o Internet access
o Sitting down

• Working with clients and a computer
• Learning every day about different functions of different departments.
- Language
Group 2
• Most common language (including prank calls) is isiZulu
• With some languages, people don’t listen, they just press a number. They don’t consider the
menu as options.
• Also sometimes with language misunderstandings people get very frustrated.
• Can’t transfer call to a person, only to a language
• Some people press for the wrong language (press Afrikaans but speak Zulu)
• isiZulu agents ask other isiZulu agents for help, not other languages. This is more proximity
than anything else.
During the second discussion we spoke to 7 agents, two males and five females. The agents had been
with SITA for a period of 2 months to 3 years. We missed information on one male agent who had been
with the centre for a year. During this discussion we asked Diane not to be part in order to allow the
agents to be more open and free. We got a positive response in that this group was more open.
Jezel (F 2 yrs)
Maria (F 3 yrs)
Kabelo (F)
Roniboa (M 2 months)
Lorraine (F 6 months)
Lindi (F 1 month)
• This group consisted of experienced agents. Close to half of them had previous call centre
experience.
• They said that helping people was inspiring.
• They are told to be professional all the time – but it’s hard.
• Towards the month’s end, real calls increase.
• You have to say “thank you for calling”.
• If info not on portal, consult team leader or supervisor.
• They help each other out all the time.
• One agent told someone how to start a business from experience and the portal. This person
showed appreciation by buying her chocolates and delivering them to the centre.
• Unemployment calls are frequent:
• Asking how to apply for work
• How to find work
• Tell them to buy a paper
• General advice

Pranks
• Ask you for lots of information and then laugh. Wasting time.
• There are prank call regulars, some operators speak to the same person all the time.
• Prank calls come in all languages. Usually there is swearing.
• 1020 is the worst hit by prank calls; even an 0800 number is better.
• 1020 ads on TV, radio – kids hear it.
• They were not expecting so many prank calls.
• Prank calls: small numbers: English or Afrikaans (1, 2) people (1).
• Everyone has their regular pranksters.
• Prank calls are made mostly in the afternoon.
• School holidays mean more prank calls.
• Pranksters sometimes swear at you then drop the phone.
• They get told to ‘keep quiet’ and not entertain. The more you answer, the more they will
carry on.
• People are looking for someone to blame (racism).
Even if they’re pranksters and you know it:
• If they ask relevant questions, you have to give them answers.
• Some call over and over again and ask the same question.
Good things
• We’re helping.
• Giving people good news.
• Feeling empathy with people.
• Suggestion to make it a share call.
• It’s too easy to get to an operator on 1020.
• Pranksters are typically young black boys.
• All menu options are pranked.
• Pranks
• They hang on
• They sing
• “Play me a song”

Appendix 8 Childline Phone Interview Notes
Web
www.childlinesa.org.za
Childline International Report mentions internal research on how to handle prank calls.
Phone Interview with Joan van Niekerk (+27 31 563 5718)
22 Jan 2008 10:30 am
National Coordinator
Childline South Africa
childlinesa@iafrica.com
+27 31 563 5718
tel +27 86 519 2648
fax +27 83 303 8322
www.childlinesa.org.za
“Test” calls or “hoax” calls are common and they got more than they expected. Joan attributes this to
phones beings somewhat new for many children in this country and thus they have not got education on
how to use this shared resource respectfully. Often one kid is egging on others. No adults around would
bother to say, hey, that's not how to use the phone.
Phone counsellors are carefully trained to engage with kids, talk back to them, try to get it into their
heads and especially try to turn a “test” call into a “real” call. They are trained regularly using role play to
try to suss out how a kid might be feeling. This is a very successful method for the counsellors. Some
phone calls are very traumatic for the counsellor, this role play is part of the support for them.
Some counsellors are volunteers.
There are 9 regional call centres, some better equipped than others. There are 100 000 calls a month.
24/7 at night there are 12 pepole on duty at any one time, during the day there are 24. Mentors and
managers are on site.
I asked if we could visit the Gauteng call centre – yes.
Forgot to ask how she covered all the languages (asked in follow-up e-mail).
Childline offers more than just phone services. They also do therapy centres in schools,
prevention/education in schools, and a pilot project with MXit where kids can text message for a low
price. Not popular with Vodacom because it is lowering profit rates and the service has been misused but
it is good for these kids.
Telkom foundation pays Telkom for Childline calls. This is a tax break for Telkom somehow.
What solutions does she recommend for us?

• Don't play music, you will be too attractive and it will increase the calls
• Decrease the calls with long-term education – this will only bear fruit in the long term
• Teach kids about respectful phone use on the line – this might not have much of an impact
• Block “test” callers 2nd time around
• Have Childline’s number handy – don't misuse this service, though.
Follow-up e-mail
Because our call centres are decentralised we recruit counsellors from all language groups in SA -
sometimes we have more than one counsellor on duty, not because there are lots of calls at night, but
because of security reasons and people being frightened to be in the centre on their own. - the calls we
get in the dead of night are usually the most serious - baby left on the street, child phoning because they
have taken an overdose and have now changed their mind, serious assaults on children.
Also, do your counsellors "log" calls in a separate software program after each call? Yes – but the screen
is open while they are taking the call. If so, are your counsellors able to accurately log all the calls that
come in are there a mismatch? No – the calls sometimes come too rapidly and many are missed. There is
a high level of difference between the call centres and it depends on how many calls they receive. What is
the software you use? Our programme was specially designed for us by Cybicom who have donated hours
each month to Childline to maintain the program. If so, do you have a remedy or a plan to improve this?
Yes – we are presently looking for funding to do this – the programme was not designed to manage the
huge number of calls we are now receiving.
Are your calls recorded for internal record keeping or quality control? Some offices do record all calls and
this has proved very valuable for both purposes. Sometimes when people are very distressed and give
information quickly - like an address and you have to send the police out you may need to listen to the
call again if the police phone you back and say there is no such place. Also in the field of children,
government departments are sometimes very unresponsive and even claim that referrals have not been
made. Our call logging system enables us to prove this.
Follow-up
• Arrange meeting to visit Gauteng.
• Interested in partnership with us if we go the prevention/education route with the
Department of Education.

Appendix 9 Childline Site Visit Report
On 4 February 2008 we visited Gauteng Childline call centre in Braamfontein. There we met with Annette
Allan (082 25 69 045) and Lynn Cawood (082 553 0844). They receive approximately 73 000 calls per
month. Their line is funded by Telkom and Vodacom.
They said that they received a number of what we called prank calls which they call “calls for help”. The
call centre agents are trained to talk to children. When talking with children, they are able to ascertain
when the child is in need of assistance, otherwise they educate them on the use of the hotline. They do
not have identi-call hand sets as they pride themselves on keeping all information confidential. Should a
caller need any assistance, they ask for his/her contact details.
The childline call centre does not have language routing. Agents are multilingual and should the caller
not understand any of the agent’s languages, the caller is forwarded to an agent who speaks the
language. There are 6 agents on duty at a time. Childline has a challenge of huge turnover mainly
because of the low salary scales. Most agents start as volunteers. They receive training on counselling
and then on-going training and support during employment.
Childline offered to train SITA call centre agents in dealing with children. They said if HLT has a
collaboration with SITA, they could facilitate a co-collaboration where, when SITA receives calls from
children, the line is diverted to Childline.

Appendix 10 Tshwane Electricity Services (TES) Site Visit
4 March 2008
Participants
HLT, MERAKA:
Bryan McAlister, Jaco Badenhorst, Tebogo Gumede, Aditi Sharma, Madelaine Plauche
TES:
• Lizelle G. Veenemans (Chief of Tshwane Electricity Services Helpdesk)
• Kapari B.T. Moraka (Deputy Manager Tshwane Electricity Services Helpdesk)
• Chris Schwartz (Supervisor of Control/Dispatch room?)
• Piet Reynecke (Bytes representative who sits in the Tshwane Electricity Services offices)
• Ananias Metse (Foreman of call centre)
• Robert Maswanganye (Senior engineer for TES?)
Call centre:
• Main, medium-sized room contains 11 agents, room for about 15. The call centre felt a bit
crowded.
• Agents: One is mobility impaired, four are men, and three are of European origin.
• About two people were green (on call) at one time, one person was pink (call-backer), about
5 were idle. It was a slow day but there were lots of agents because they were anticipating
the beginning of load shedding sometime that day.
• Each agent was represented by an icon on the CC Supervision system, Green = Busy with a
call, Blue = Transaction time after call, Orange = Available.
• Two small rooms off to the side: one is Lizelle's office, one is the office of two foremen,
Ananias and another who was off sick. There is also a VERY small room off to the side which
is the kitchen and break room.
• People with electricity account problems call this call centre because the centre's number is
free. According to Lizelle the calls that the Call Centre handle are about 70% (was it not
30%?) financial (electricity accounts), and problems (being cut off - have not paid).
• Normally they would receive around 50 000 calls a month. With load shedding this can go up
to 10 000 a day.
CC supervision system
• Big GUI board made by Alcatel that allows agents to manage themselves and one another.
Also allows foreman to listen in on calls.
• Bought on licensing from Bytes but self-maintained.
• Green is receiving a call. Pink is the “call backer” - one assigned call backer per shift, this is
the person who is assigned to make out-going calls for follow-up with customers.
• Two screens – one for Electricity, one for Water and Public Works (robots, trees down,
roads). This second service has been in the same call centre as Electricity services for one
month now.
Waiting queue board

Gives queue, wait time, number of agents, and efficiency (100%). Used for performance management in
the call centre.
Meeting (Kapari, Lizelle, Ananias, Chris, later Piet)
Introduction
• Mainly talked about Electricity Services part of call centre. As soon as an agent gets a call, it
goes to the control room to dispatch or something else (?). Dispatch is further divided into
East, Centurion, North, etc.
• Tshwane Electricity Services cover an 80x40 km grid from Hartbeespoort Dam to
Bronkhorstspruit and from Shoshanguve to just before Midrand – a large of number of
clients.
• Water supply is different from electricity supply. In some areas Tshwane supplies electricity
but someone else supplies the water and vice versa. Water supply spans into North West.
Load shedding process
• Eskom calls Martin or Robert or someone else at very short notice, “We need 500 Megawatt
(MW) to be shed in the next 5 minutes”.
• TES has divided all the areas it supplies into 4 groups of 200 MW each, with possible load
shedding for 2 hours each. Each Group (1-4) has a fixed time slot for load shedding, e.g.
Group 1 is 8:00–10:00, Group 2 10:00–12:00, etc. Fixed groups help Tshwane and the
customers keep track of load shedding vs. power failures. Note: The groups can change
some times, suburbs can move from one group to another. For example, if Eskom asks for
200 MW, TES asks power stations to generate 100 MW perhaps, then TES will load-shed part
of Group 1 for the one hour and another part of Group 1 for the other hour, so that they
some areas are not load shed for a full 2 hours. If they ask for 400 MW, they take 2 areas
and load-shed. If TES doesn't do it, Eskom pulls the plug and forces load shedding to meet
national availability.
• Chris updates the IVR system to tell what areas (suburbs) are going to be affected. This is
not integrated but must be manually input by selecting suburb names from a list of all the
areas. The foreman of the call centre is notified and tells agents. Also updates website which
says don't bother calling the call centre, they can't tell you anything more.
• Lizelle showed us the IVR system update tool once the IVR server was up and running. The
tool allows the user to select affected areas (based on suburbs of Pretoria); more than one
suburb can be selected at a time. The user then selects the cause of the power outage (cable
fault, load shedding, etc). Lizelle mentioned that they would prefer it if affected areas could
instead be selected based on predefined groups, rather than just selecting the suburbs
directly. (Currently it is just one long list of suburbs to choose from as opposed to suburbs
being displayed under their respective groups that TES has made up).
History
• First load shedding was in June/July 2007. Local authorities had to assist with national
suppliers. Netgroup developed the "load-shedder" system just in case somebody needed to
load shed again. System can monitor each substation's load.
• TES would start at group 1, if they load shed group 1, next day they start with group 2 –
most people were unhappy because they wanted to know when they would have power –
they wanted a fixed time.
• Thus the webpage was born. Lizelle says that after using the website for some time, clients
seem to have realised which groups they are in. Eskom also has a web page that says
electricity will only be off for 2 hours. But when turning the power on, it might cause

something to trip, meaning it might take another 2 hours to turn on. From client's point of
view, electricity is off 4 hours – resulting in unhappiness. Thus TES’s website now says
exactly when it is on and off and TES updates their own website.
• There can be technical problems as well, such as if the SCADA (automatically runs circuit
breakers in the field) is not working, you might have to shift to group 2, which have not been
warned.
• Even suburb is not the most accurate category, e.g. some parts of Moreleta Park might be
off, but neighbour across the street is on, the caller wants to know why. In June they plan to
integrate more data, so one could know by street address, not just by suburb.
Exceptions to load shedding
• Hospitals are mostly on the Skinner Street substation which is exempt. Also, the Union
Buildings and embassies are on this substation. They try not to switch off City Centre
because of crime.
• Continuous meetings and proactive communication and relationship building with hospitals
and VIP clients, important people and people who are dependent, like a man whose daughter
is on an oxygen machine.
Piet from Bytes Communication on IVR system
• Stated that he could not tell us much about IVR because we are competitors. They want to
upgrade but Tshwane Council has not renewed or even considered the tender in the last 6
months.
• IVR is an old version, over 5 years old and runs on a 300 Mhz server that is giving problems.
Plans are to replace this server, but it seems that this is going to take a while (perhaps
longer than a year?). Currently customer dials in, says his/her suburb, it says the areas
affected – Lizelle's voice is on the recordings.
• In the past they used speech recognition for British or American English - failed miserably,
this was later replaced with African English. It’s IVR with DTMF backup.
• The new proposed IVR system is supposed to be multilingual, with the ability to send
customers test messages and incorporate load-shedding schedules. It will also be DTMF,
provide other options when speech recognition does not work and other "bells and whistles".
• IVR number: 012 358 9999 -> DTMF options (police, electricity, etc.) -> DTMF (electricity,
robots, finance) -> IVR (asks for area/suburb name) -> agents.
• TES feels that the speech recognition doesn't work well; no statistics are logged on accuracy
of the speech rec. system since it was not part of the contract with Bytes. The new IVR
system is supposed to have various stats available on the speech rec.
• TES plans to have a web-based load-shedding calculator, when data is integrated, customer
will be able to put in their account number or street name. There may be policy issues
around using account numbers.
• Council wanted all 11 languages at first on telephony side. Council decided finally that 11
languages are too much because it is a long list to listen to. Now they are down to 4
languages (Sotho, Zulu, Afrikaans, and English).
• Only 2 people at the time could make ASR for these languages, their bids were too high,
Council ditched it.
• Piet wants to work with us in the future, we could be suppliers of IVR technology to Bytes
who works with tons of other clients across the country.
• The PABX system used is provided by Alcatel. The speech recognition and speech server
technology are Nuance systems. Bytes have a contract with a company by the name of N2
(or something). This company provides the IVR and speech recognition portion of the
system. This is where our main competition lies; Piet was told that he couldn't divulge any
details about the IVR.
• According to Piet, Bytes technology would be interested in the Tshwane pilot, especially if

they could rather obtain their speech recognition/synthesis system locally.
• Bytes is the main company in charge of installing PABX systems for the Tshwane metro, all
consisting of Alcatel systems. The main PABX system sits in the Sammy Marks building in the
city centre of Pretoria. All calls go through here, and the calls specific to the electricity/water
dept are routed from here to the Tshwane electrical dept. PABX.
• Piet mentioned that he would be able to assist us with installing a pilot system that, if
necessary, interfaces with the Alcatel system in use at TES.
HLT load-shedding demo
• According to TES what HLT demoed for them (simple speech-based load-shedding app) is
more than they have currently.
• How is our demo better than what they have?
• TTS and multiple languages.
• We might be able to give them a more flexible system, where one can dynamically add TTS
prompts and also regroup/structure the Menu's quite easily. Lizelle would really be interested
in a pilot where she can determine the different menu's of the IVR as their needs changes
(e.g. new groupings introduced).
• Lizelle also mentioned that it is currently a timely and costly affair to change the IVR prompts
and that IVR has too many error prompts (number of times user is prompted) they want to
lessen that, but cost involved.
• For Lwazi pilot, possibly an ability to sidestep Council because we already have money and
can run a pilot.
Call logging and routing
• Routing is done by a PBX, called “auto-attendants”. Then you are routed to CC Supervision
and wait in a queue for an agent.
• Calls are logged using Power Mapper, their own system. The calls that don't have to do with
electricity are not logged (but during observation, Mad saw that Ken was logging water calls
using a different but similar system). Calls are logged for their own stats.
• No Call Routing on a per language basis, any agent can pick up a call and customer requests
to speak in the language of their choice. Currently 4/5 official languages to be provided at
least: Sotho, Setswana, English, Zulu, Afrikaans.
Language learning demo feedback
• Lizelle also sees a possibility of a Language Learning training toolkit that would focus on
common phrases like “Did you say shocks? Did you say power failure?” Agents have been on
a waiting list for language training at Unisa for many weeks. Common phrases could go a
long way, agents could use it during down times.
Tour of control/dispatch room (with Chris)
• Large room with very big switchboard representing the entire electricity grid of Tshwane.
Room has an exciting NASA feel. 5 people in the room, each facing the large switchboard,
each with 5 computer monitors running SCADA, which provides the real info about all circuit
breakers, substations, status, etc.
• SCADA system shows problems before clients start to call in. It has info on primary
substations. If the problem is a secondary substation, they are notified by client calls.
• Abnormal? Missed this but something to do with protecting workers. No work can be done
that the control room operators don't approve. Every single incident is logged. They know
where everyone is working. SCADA is used for load shedding.
• Depending on the size of the breakdown, they log it in the IVR.

Dispatchers
• Small rooms off to the side that house dispatchers for different regions. When client calls the
call centre, the call is logged on Power Mapper. This comes to the control room and divided
into North and South.
• If it is a shock, it is a high priority, other complaints are lower priority. Technicians are in the
field, they are dispatched to the site. For all calls logged, there is a ref#, status of job, where
the job is.
• They work on 3 shifts 24/7.
• A system shutdown or a high-voltage problem requires a more coordinated reaction and a
bigger field crew. Also making a call-back list for all the clients that call about the same job –
they have to check back with EACH of them to make sure the power is back on.
• They inform the Call Centre of major power failures in the area in case more customers call
about the same thing.
• Chris also told us that you can't make too much info available on the general IVR/website,
because then they loose important calls of some users who misinterpret the info and think
that they are already attending to the problem currently. It is also difficult to judge how long
it will take for each job to be completed (people are in the field fixing).
Focus group with agents
• Even though the website, newspaper, radio says when load shedding will happen and what it
is, people call and want to know when it is happening and what it is. People want to know if
a power outage is load shedding or some other problem.
• Abusive calls:
• We pay for our services, we want it now!
• We are paying your salary with our taxes, what are you doing there?
• Racial remarks
• Every once in a while there is a nice call, someone thanking them for a job well done. This
makes the agents feel good, one remarked that it would be nice if they didn't have to wait
for their callers to thank them but if their managers and supervisors would compliment them
from time to time too.
• People don't always listen to the options. So many calls must be redirected to the right
department. (Lizelle also mentioned this that 30% of the calls are around finance related
queries (disconnections). People tend to use the toll free number.
• TES Management felt that calls were mostly in 4 languages but agents indicated that calls
come in all languages come in to the centre. Agents speak LOTS of languages and rely on
one another to cover the languages. Older callers only speak their home language.
• Agents attend a 2 day general course offsite for customer care, then it is just on the job
training (just watch & listen). There is no support for stressful calls, like role playing, etc.
• Agents can see if a crew has been dispatched. In some cases more info (like seeing how
many jobs are on the waiting list currently) might be helpful in providing comfort and
reassurance to the client. In some cases, it might make things worse because they don't
want to make promises they can't be sure will be kept. Providing comfort and
reassurance appears to be one of the primary roles the agents play.
• Protocol dictates that they must call the client back after a fix to check on whether power is
on or not, even if it is after midnight. This results in abusive clients -they are very mad to be
called at this hour. Sometimes the electrical problem is sitting on the inside of the house and
the customer does not realise it and gets frustrated with the agent.
• Agents are always on stand-by, even on weekends and holidays
Call observation

• Lots of languages. They log the calls in Power Mapper while they are on the phone, collecting
address, phone number, name, and complaint.
• 4 people were on water, 7 were on electricity.
• Foreman also sees the CC Supervision and can listen into calls (mode 1), can intrude (mode
2), and can talk just to the agent such that the customer doesn't hear (mode 3).
• Agents cannot signal that they need help. If there is a call they can't handle, they must tell
the client to hold and go talk directly to one of the foreman.
• Some protocols in place for racist and abusive calls – agents are instructed to warn them that
they will put the phone down if it doesn't stop. When clients are abusive, the foreman takes
the call and threatens him/her of police action. But he usually does not intervene in calls
because it is important for the agent to learn how to handle all types of calls.
• Foreman will take calls themselves if the call centre is busy and they will intrude if they see
that an agent has been on the line for a long time.

Appendix 11 Focus Group Consent Form
TITLE OF RESEARCH: Assessment of need and potential for telephony technology in
government and health services
INVESTIGATOR: Human Language Technology, Meraka Institute CSIR
April/May 2008
For Children/Minors (persons under 19 years of age) participating in this study, the
term You addresses both the participant ("you") and the parent or legally authorised
representative ("your child")
We are asking you to take part in a research study. This research study will test how useful telephone
technologies will be in the distribution of government and health services. If you agree to participant, we
will ask you a series of questions that will take about one hour. Your responses will not affect your ability
to receive services by the Thusong Service Centre, either positively or negatively. Your participation may
improve your access to government and health services one to two years from now. You will not benefit
directly from participating in these interviews. However the interview may help you start thinking about
what services are available and how your access to them could improve.
Your taking part in this interview is your choice. There will be no penalty if you decide not to be in the
interview or if you do not choose to answer certain questions. If you decide not to be in the study, you
will not lose any benefits you are otherwise owed. You are free to withdraw from this research study at
any time. Your choice to leave the study will not affect your relationship with the Thusong Service Centre.
Information obtained about you for this study will be kept private. We will not use your name in any
future studies. We will use your information anonymously in internal reports and in publications. Your
identity will not be shared with anyone. You are not waiving any of your legal rights by signing this
informed consent document.
There will be no cost to you from taking part in this study. There will also be no pay for taking part in the
study. The participation is purely on a voluntary basis. If you have any questions about this study, you
may contact:
Tebogo Gumede
(012) 841 3129
Madelaine Plauche
(012) 841 3123
Please initial your choice(s) below:
___ I agree to participate in the interview.
___ I understand the terms of this participation.
Signature of Participant (or legal guardian) Date

Appendix 12 Field Visit: George (Waboomskraal)
Background
20–21 April 2008
Tebogo Gumede and Nathi Mqalo
Thusong Service Centres (TSC) are government’s primary vehicle for the implementation of development
communication and information and to integrate government services into primarily rural communities.
This was done to address historical, social and economic factors, which limited access to information,
services and participation by citizens, as they had to travel long distances to access these services.
http://www.thusong.gov.za .
Thusong Service Centres focuses on six services namely: Government social and administrative services,
Office services, Education and skills development services, Local Economic Development (LED) services,
Business services and community, Information and communication activities
We visited a Thusong Service Centre in Waboomskraal which is located 30 kilometres away from George.
This is a farming community consisting of 13 farms (fruits and hobs) which are subdivided into 5 to 6 subfarms.
The area is rural but has houses made of bricks. The centre has electricity. They get water from
rain, collecting it with Jojo plastic tanks. The centre has 4 school classrooms, 2 crèche classrooms, a
kitchen, a library, a big well equipped hall, three offices (1 for centre manager, 1 for administrator and
the other for the school principal). The centre manager and other staff members live in houses located
around the centre. The language spoken in the area is Afrikaans as the majority of people are Coloureds.
The school is run by the department of education. It has four teachers and two crèche teachers.
This centre has four active programmes:
• youth development
• senior citizens (also affectionately known as ‘old heroes’)
• business development and
• early childhood development.
Each week the centre hosts a different programme ranging from movies, pool and ‘get together’. The
operating hours of the centre are from 08h00 to 16h00.
There are 5 people working in the centre and 20 volunteers based in the farms. At the centre with the
centre manger is a lady who runs the kitchen; a lady who has recently been employed to do home based
care, an administrator and a field worker. The centre is funded by the national department of social
services. The centre receives R30 000 a year for youth development.
Pastor Samuel Jooste: TSC manager
The centre manager is a church pastor who runs a service on Sundays and home-cells every evening. The
centre was established in 1999. Pastor Samuel Jooste (staff and community call him ‘Sammy’) joined the
centre in 2003. He was a teacher at a farm school (in Worcester) before joining the centre. Whilst in
Worcester, he was involved in community development.
The TSC is based in Waboomskraal farm. It serves approximately 6000 people in 13 villages. The villages
are Herold (20 kilometres from Waboomskraal), Eseljagt (35 kilometres from Waboomskraal), Klipdrift (30
kilometres from Waboomskraal), Ganzekraal, Buffelsdrift, Hiemersriver (40 kilometres from
Waboomskraal), Brakriver, Eensaamheid, Baskop (40 kilometres from Waboomskraal) and Noll (60

kilometres from Waboomskraal). The team in Waboomskraal is in the process of opening satellite offices
in two farms; Herold and Eensaamheid.
George/Waboomskraal and surrounding areas are dominated by Afrikaans speaking people. There is a
mobile clinic which visits the centre once a month. The nearest hospital is in George (approx 30
kilometres away from Waboomskraal). The challenge about access to the hospital is reliable transport.
Taxis are available on weekends only and some farmers provide transport to town or hospital for their
workers. There are no other health services in the area and there also are no NGOs in the community.
The centre is run by a team of 10 board members of which only one is female. These members are
appointed at a meeting attended by farmers, the Department of Social Services and community. The
board is fully involved in the centre’s activities.
Among other services provided in the centre are:
• Social services, a social worker visits the centre once a week. (On the day of our visit he
arrived at 13h00.)
• SASSA office
• Department of labour which visits periodically
• Two of the rooms used by the crèche were initially meant to be used by health services, but
because the nurse visits the centre only once a month, the rooms are used by the crèche.
Pastor Jooste told us that a doctor used visit the centre but people did not consult because
they did not know about his presence and his services would be costly for this poor
community. He stopped visiting. The centre is currently on an active campaign to publicise
their services.
• They have a ‘very good’ relationship with provincial and national GCIS offices. When Florence
Maleka, head Community development Workers (CDW) national visits, she goes to all the
farms.
The centre is opened from 08h00 to 16h00 but the manager is available 24 hours. In cases where the
centre is unable to provide a particular service (such as home affairs services), they take people to town
(George) for that particular service. On Saturdays, the centre opens until early hours of the following day
because the centre hosts youth programmes and make preparations for Sunday functions.
The centre hours and services are communicated to the community through letters to the farmers, farm
schools and churches. They are currently trying to use the local newspaper as well. They do not have
Community Development Workers (CDW) in the area.
Pastor Jooste communicates with National Department of Public Service and Administration on a regular
basis. He meets with other Thusong centre managers monthly. In these meetings they share
programmes and have workshops. Centres rotate in hosting the workshops. Administrators also have
monthly meetings.
The centre’s challenge is that farmers do not want to involve their workers in centre programmes.
Children over 18 are forced to start working or they are chased from the farms. This leads to these
young people to live together.
The centre has 4 computers, 2 for the centre and 2 for the school. There is a landline, fax line and email
access. His monthly telephone bill reaches R2000 per month.
They cook for the poor children and get sponsored clothes from Japan. One of the farmer’s son sponsors
clothes for children.
Mr Khumalo is the only African board member. He is currently doing a needs analysis of African people in
the area in order for the centre to provide services to them.

When there is conflict Pastor Jooste calls the police. His vision for the centre is to build positive leaders
and promote community upliftment. He is 33 years old and wants to retire at 40 years. He wants to make
sure that he grooms someone from the community. He is committed to establishing a service provision
centre that everybody will know. When community members visit the centre, they engage in set daily
programmes.
The aged, known as “old heroes”, do needlework, Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), games and
physical training. Tours are organised for the people/children to visit different places e.g. Mayor’s office,
hospitals, police stations etc. The centre manager arranges for youth to work during weekends and school
holidays and teaches them how to budget. It is easy for the centre manager to do his job because people
are active they are always willing to volunteer. One of the things that Pastor Jooste is passionate about,
is joining his community in matrimony. Last year (2007) they had weddings for 8 couples. This year they
are planning to wed 20 couples. The pastor is seeking to ask for donations from television programmes
such as Lets fix it!
School principal: Ms Kate
Ms Kate is a principal at the school attached to the centre. She has been the teacher at the school since
1987 and has been in the centre since its opening. The school is not linked to the Thusong centre even
though they share premises and buildings. It is a public school, registered with the Department of
Education. There are 5 teachers, three female and two male. Some staff members live close to the
centre and some, including the principal, travel daily. Each class has 3 grades in one classroom. For
example grades 1 to 3 share one classroom. The classrooms are well furnished and equipped with
stationery. The school also has a special class for disabled and abused children.
Staff focus group discussion: Gerrit (driver for crèche), Nicole (home based care), Attie
(ex-convict, field worker), Marie-Ann (administrator) and Gerrit (centre board member)
Gerrit the driver started working at the centre on the day of our visit. He has completed grade 9 and
used to work at the farm before joining the centre.
Nicole started working at the centre a year ago. She is repeating matric at a local school. She is the only
home based care giver in the area. She assists very sick people and old people. She gets support from
the Department of Health (DOH). The DOH is hoping to employ more people to assist her in the farms, as
her catchment area is wide and she does not have a car / transport. On days when she does not go to the
community, she volunteers at the centre.
Attie is a field worker. He used to work on one of the farms before joining the centre He knew about the
centre before Pastor Jooster joined it. He knows all the people in all the farms (This is due to his history
as a feared gangster member). Attie took us around for house hold interviews and tours within the farms.
The name of the Farm he took us to is Green Hops and it’s an apple farm.
Gerrit, the board member, passed matric and is also an ex-convict. He works full time in one of the farms.
His work at the centre includes organising licences for community members, does motivational speaking
young people (drugs and gangsterism). After he was released from jail he spent a year with missionaries
in the USA. Since then he spends his free days doing missionary work.
Marie- Ann is pastor Jooste’s wife. She is an administrator for the centre. She also runs a kitchen soup,
does catering, decorating and organises women’s events including mother’s day celebrations. She is also
involved with the running of the crèche and ‘old heroes’ programmes. The old heroes visit the centre on
Tuesdays and Thursdays. Pastor Jooster collects and takes them home on these days. The oldest
member of this club is 90 years old. Marie-Ann passed grade 10.

When we asked them what they enjoy about their work, they said they enjoy when there is development
in the community and when people actively participate in programmes. What frustrates them is that most
people drink a lot and they do not take care of their children. One respondent said “…people in this
community are use to being controlled by the Boers”. Other local social ills include an increasing number
of homosexual relationships, which the respondents believe, has lead to a number of young boys being
raped. There is also an increased HIV/AIDS prevalence. The types of houses in the farms are indecent or
not meant for full families. Parents have sex in the presence of young children. Transport is a big
problem.
In the household interviews we had, we learnt that people pay R120 for a single trip from George to the
farms. Local taxis operate on weekend only. During the week most people do not go to town, if they do
they hike. The other challenge in the community is that most people do not have identity documents.
The centre wrote to the department of home affairs requesting for mobile services but this has not
happened yet. They have good working relations with the provincial (Jethro) and national GCIS offices.
Gerrit said his dream is to see most young people in the area being educated and especially computer
literate. People here are not computer literate but they have cellphones. They also mentioned that the
evangelistic side of the centre makes people want to take part in centre’s activities.
Social services
Jethro from Department of Social Services visits the centre every Monday. On this particular Monday,
during our visit, he arrived at the centre at 13h00. He said he enjoys his job but is frustrated most of the
time because he deals with the same problems, i.e. alcohol and children abuse.
Two household interviews
On the second day of our visit the centre manager asked Attie to take us for field visit. Only two
households were organised for us to interview. In the neighbourhood, most houses were empty /
deserted. Attie said people are in farms. The area he took us to is a walking distance from the centre. It
has 13 houses including one that belongs to the centre manager. There is a rugby / soccer field with self
made poles. A few metres from the field is a huge hob field /farm. There is also a public phone (Telkom)
along the road, which is in good working condition.
The houses do not look well taken care of. What we noticed though was that all households had a
washing machine. One of the households we visited had a small vegetable garden and a lemon tree.
Visit to the farms
Attie took us to Green Hob farm. They farm all types of apples. The owner Mr Lategan is the only farmer
who works closely with the centre. He often provides transport for his workers to attend functions at the
centre. Mr Lategan also has a self catering lodge in the farm (R450 per night).
At the farm we met Mr Khumalo. Mr Khumalo is a mechanic and is also a board member at the centre.
He does not like his job anymore because of small salary. He and his wife (who works in the apple fields
of the same farm) are the only Africans in the farm. They speak, read and write Afrikaans fluently.
Telephone interviews
Pastor Jooster gave us numbers of two board members who were going to be our KII but could not make
it to the centre because of other commitments. We requested to interview them over the phone.
Nathi spoke to Mr A Lategan (a farmer and ‘the brain for the centre’) 044 886 0006 / 083 658 0383. Mr
Lategan knows about the centre, how it operates and the activities within. He said that Pastor Jooster is
so supportive and is doing good work for the community. He said the he has a good relationship with the

pastor.
He feels that the centre is doing well more especially people can have transport operating from their
farms to centre. They are busy working on this transport problem .The other challenge is Funding and
hoping that government will assist them.
He is happy about this Lwazi project and also feels that it will be helpful for the farm people because
most of them have cellphones and they know how to use them unlike computers. He said that local
people do not have computers.
The other person we spoke to is the chair of the centre Mr PJ Snyman (082 8817589). He was excited
about the work done by the Thusong centre. He has respect for the centre manager and works close
with him whenever possible. Mr Snyman is an open individual who talked joyfully about the work done by
the centre and the involvement of his farm.
Since our visit, Mr Snyman has created a help line through e-mail. He has installed three computers at the
centre where people can write in whatever complaint they might have. He said the line is especially for
young girls. He then will be reading them and hopefully addressing them.
He said that the community has a high rate of abuse (especially sexual. There has been an increase of a
number of sodomised boys). He wondered if the HLT system would be able to address this challenge by
giving people information of where to get help.
Lwazi gifts
We gave Lwazi gifts to Attie, Pastor Jooste, Ms Kate and the teacher who was assisting Ms Kate to answer
some of the questions.

Appendix 13 Field Visit: Durban
Background
15–16 May 2008
Tebogo Gumede and Nathi Mqalo
The Bartel Arts Trust (BAT) centre is located at the Durban harbour, 16 kilometres away from the Durban
International airport and six kilometres to Durban central town. The centre was started after Mr Hugo left
money (through his will) for the centre to be started. It was established in 1995. There are 13 offices,
shops and studios. Main office has a reception area where Tabisa (receptionist) sits, an open room with a
copy and fax machine, and three work place offices. The office’s walls are adorned with paintings by
students. The other spaces comprises of Sipho Gumede hall, 2 galleries, 5 partitioned spaces for visual
artists, printing room, 3 class rooms and a conference centre that accommodates approximately 200
people. The centre also has a bar/restaurant with the balcony over looking the harbour. The hall and the
balcony are usually rented out to the public for art events. Students here learn music, fine arts, and
business skills.
The office has 10 permanent staff members and 3 interns. The interns do art administration where they
gain practical skills of being an artists. Ms Nise Mlangeni is the centre manager, she feels this is part of
skills development.
Some of the work they do is supported by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) (75 thousand rands
a year). Nise says the money they get from the department is never enough so they constantly have to
apply for additional funding from other sources. The one source that used to give them enough money
was the South African Lottery (SA Lotto) under Uthingo. Gijima is now the company managing SA Lotto
and therefore the centre (like all beneficiaries) have to put in a new application.
BAT centre manager: KII
The centre is headed by Ms Nise Mlangeni. Her work at the BAT centre includes managing the
community art centres in Durban and surrounding areas, being a spokes person for rural women who
work at the market, assisting refugees to get documents, feed scheme for the homeless, with prisoners
(art) and HIV/AIDS aware campaigns. Other programmes include generational dialogue (older artists
mentoring the students) and poverty pictures (students are asked to take a picture depicting poverty and
then write what the picture means to them. These will be displayed at the gallery where the public and
parents will be invited to buy).
Nise mentioned that she works with all political parties because her work involves “being human and not
being an activist”. She is on an individual journey of improving people’s lives. She said that there are
many untold stories of suffering in the country, leading to brain drain.
On issues of communication and changing behaviour she said we need to use “…the old African way of
community.” This includes getting people who are respected to intervene. She feels that South Africans
are “selling their culture”. She gave an example of a traditional abortionist who has observed that one of
the Western contraceptive injections is poisonous.
People struggle to get information. She said that they (community) do not know about the SETAs
because the information is on the internet. She recently found a copy of Vuk’uzenzele magazine while
attending a meeting in one of government offices. She said she asked GCIS to improve its distribution in
Durban.

Possible applications
She said whatever app we decide to do, it is importance that it is owned by people. She also suggested
that the app should be interactive. “There is too much print material and people are either illiterate or do
not have the time to read” .
They do collaborative work with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the University of Kwa-
Zulu Natal (UKZN). The departments they work with are journalism, music and the School of Arts.
Youth development unit
The youth development unit is headed by Khona Dlamini. She studied laws for two years and then
changed to do journalism and fine arts. She started working at the centre in 2003 on a part time basis
during school holidays. In 2007 she started working full time on youth development.
What this unit does is assist young people upgrade their skills and assist them to go to school. They
organise professional artists to assist and mentor young artists. They also identify work opportunities for
young people. On Saturdays the centre runs the following classes for children from homes: Fine art,
Music and dance. The unit also has a recreation side where children go to the centre after school to do
homework from. The centre also runs what they call ‘life check’. Life check is a programme where kids
showcase their skills. The levels of their skills differ so they do language skills workshops, presentation
skills and computer skills. There is a dance studio where youth practise their dance moves. There is also
a turntable for aspiring DJs. Hip-Hop is a popular dance and genre among the youth. The unit also assist
with entrepreneurship etiquette because most artists are self employed and where possible they assist
them to get funding for their projects.
Most of the young people who go to the centre lack theoretic skills. Students from University of Kwa-Zulu
Natal and Durban University of Technology volunteer their time in sharing what they learn at school with
the centre’s students. The centre is still trying to find a way to ‘pay’ these students through other forms
of benefits. Possible benefits which they are exploring include free access to the centre’s functions. “…it
is easy for people to give in kind instead of cash”.
The youth unit communicate their events to the public through flyers on the streets of Durban, schools
and the Young Male C A (YMCA) who have a database of displaced youth and does events for kids in the
area. Some time ago the centre also used the Durban youth radio when it was still owned by the
university.
Currently the unit have a three year funding by the Flemish government. They hope that at the end of the
three years, the funder will renew their relationship.
Khona uses her legal background to assist artists read and prepares all legal documents they need to run
their careers. She mentioned a few international agreements on the rights of artists: declaration on rights
of artists, social issues for artists, diversity declaration, and the AOU’s 1970 agreements. She is also trying
to translate the South Africa Constitution into isiZulu. She knows that there is a copy of the already
translated version but both the constitution hill in Johannesburg and the GCIS in Kwa-Zulu Natal say they
do not have it.
Some of the events they host yearly include Women’s Day (August 9), celebrate Durban day (September),
refugee day and Youth Day (June 16).
Thabane Msomi (deaf visual artists): Key informant interview
Thabane is a deaf visual artist. He has been with the centre since the year 2000. He is in his late 20s
and completed standard 8 at school. He lives in Manor with his mother and sister. He travels by taxi to
and from the centre. He recently was involved in a motor vehicle accident (whiles he was in a taxi). He

injured his head and regressed his communication ability. We spoke to him through the assistance of
Nise who did both sign language and writing (in English). His understanding and concentration drifted
after about 15 minutes and he started talking about his problems with the bank.
He was introduced to the centre by his mother who attends all his exhibitions. His mother and sister are
well trained sign language communicators. Thabane schooled at a deaf school. He says he finds a lot of
discrimination from the White community. He gets this from the Natal deaf association. The general
community treats him as a ‘mad person’. People who know his disability rob him of his money. He seems
to be constantly worried about money.
Head of art centre: KII (031 2613278 / 0834938719)
Mr Gcwensa came to the centre to print a poster for an event they will be hosting at the end of the week
(launching two CDs of local artists). He is the head of the Sukuma art and culture centre in Cator Manor.
Among other activities, they assist community members register and run bed and breakfast homes
(assisted by the Durban Holiday Inn) and making ceramic plates and pots.
Their biggest challenge is payment for the 8 member staff. Of these, 4 are permanently at the offices
and he wishes that they could get some stipend to support their families. Last year there was a project
that paid 20 people on the community R600 per month, he wishes there could be another. He loves his
job and does it voluntarily!!
Site visit
We visited the Durban market place in Berea. Nise said that the people in this place are largely from the
rural areas of Durban. Those who commute, arrive in the early hours of the morning and leave late in the
evening. Some sleep at the market and go home periodically. At the market you find everything; herbs,
dresses, radios, CDs and cassettes, DVDs, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh flowers, spices, brooms, live
chickens, butchery and beads.
The majority of the business people here were women. They all have cellphones because they say the
land lines are a hassle. Because of crime at the market, the business people there were taught to set
speed dials on their cellphones. The speed dials are for the police and ambulance. Since then, crime has
decreased.
Traditional healer
At the Market we met with Mrs Mkhomu. She is one of the traditional healers and is the head of the
union representing traditional healers in the Durban counsel. She has been at the market for 9 years and
is passionate about the possibilities of the government delivering.

Appendix 14 Field Visit: Tshidilamalomo
Background
14 April 2008
8:30 – 12:00
Team: Tebogo Gumede, Madelaine Plauche, Mpho Kgampe
Tshidilamalomo is about 115 km from Mafikeng, itself 50 km from Zeerust in North West, 100 m from the
border with Botswana. The road from Mafikeng was only recently paved up to Tshidilamolomo in the last
3 years. The Thusong Service Centre there is also very new. There are no other facilities or private
establishments in the town. There is one primary, one secondary, and one high school. There are several
small Tuck Shops, and one bricklayer and Home Care group. On the road we crossed very few other cars.
Many people were travelling by donkey cart. Taxi buses come and go only once a day.
The Thusong Centre at Tshidilamolomo includes:
1. SAPS
2. Health Clinic
3. Social Development
4. SASSA (M-F)
5. Home Affairs (Thurs)
6. Dept of Justice (1x week)
7. Dept of correctional services (1 x week)
Captain Mokaba: Station Commissioner
Interviewed by Mad on April 14 th . Her office is one of about 6 in the police station at the Thusong Service
Centre, all established in 2004. Before working here, she worked in Brits. She says there is not enough
office space in general for the Thusong Service Centre, which is why SASSA and Home Affairs share this
space. Her primary responsibilities include delegating work to paid and unpaid staff. She was updating
successes for the weekend when I came in.
All networks (MTN, Vodacom, and MTN) support the 121 number for emergencies. Unfortunately, the
police station in Tshidilamolomo is not listed with these networks, people are instead routed to Mafikeng
which cannot assist callers directly – instead the call is re-routed to Tshidilamolomo, resulting in a
substantial time delay. Captain Mokaba states her primary goal is to assist people in the
community as speedily as possible. They receive about 2-3 emergency calls a month. Other calls are
complaints or people reporting cases.
Other numbers of interest:
Police CSC: 018 36 10140
SAPS: 10111 - this is also not very useful because it routes to Mafikeng.
For the CSC, there is only one line: 1401
The captain says that if she had 2 lines, one open all night (after hours), it would really improve their
ability to respond. Currently that phone just rings all night. Another reason for 2 lines is to clarify pricing.
Currently, the phone bill is paid by the police station but it is hard to tell whether the calls were private or
legitimate. Many callers say “please assist me, call me back I don't have any airtime” so the police officer
or staff will call the person back. This is considered a legitimate call and is logged properly. However,
after hours, many other calls are made from the line that are not logged in the log book. She suspects
that many of these are personal calls. She suggests that with 2 lines, you could have one for cellphone
calls to the commissioner and one for the landline. With 2 lines, one to cellphones, there would be a
registry, with a complaint number and a justification for the call. In some places, SAPS members pay a

flat rate, but they don't have the resources for that here.
Calling to a cellphone: R3 a minute
Calling on a landline: 80c a minute
In order to make such a change, she must first talk to the SAPS provincial, then Telkom will come and
make a quote, then the proposal must be approved, which can take another 3-4 months.
Captain Mokaba has 2 cellphones – one personal and one for work. At the station, there is also a
detective, crime prevention, communication officer, info management officer, and one field officer. They
each have a cellphone. Others use their personal cellphones. This includes 3 sectors – community
members need to know how to reach each of these sector officers. When there is load shedding, all of the
landlines and some of the cellphone services failed.
In the station, the following people have computers: Captain, human resource manger, CSC (community
service centre), communications officer, detective, and the Management Information Centre (MIC). They
received one week of training. These computers are used primarily to register cases, complaints, typing,
internet (Within SAPS), and emails. Community members can also send complaints by email.
There is one fax machine for schools, travel office, and sending docs to community members. It is
relatively cheap to maintain and operate. In the field, radios (limited radius) and cellphones are used by
field officers.
Primary responsibilities: see that work runs smoothly. Report numbers on duty that the staff come to
work sober and don't book sick too much. There are 2 permanent positions and 6 members per shifts of
reservists. There are 4 shifts. These reservists help a lot and take their volunteer positions very seriously.
They work from 8 am to 7 pm.
On weekends (Friday Saturday Sunday), they often run weekend operations including shebeen raiding,
visiting taverns, searching for knives, cattle post visiting. Then they will have peace and quiet for about 2
weeks. Weekends and holidays are trouble times because many people return from the cities and don't
necessarily respect the rural police force and laws. For example, they might be driving a vehicle without a
driver's license. They try to run “visible policing” with these operations. Other community members know
that they are here and visible. Many Bangladeshi and Somalian members are victims of much crime and
are very aware of the police force in Tshidilamolomo.
The crime rate in NW Province is high. Tshidilamolomo is #5 out of 96 in assaults, contact crimes,
property crimes, etc. Stock theft is down from 2005 to 2007. Mostly the theft is people killing and eating a
goat or sheep.
In 2005, the started some other projects with the community: giving food parcels to the elderly and
cleaning their homes, working with the Women's Network. Then people saw they were here and that
thing were happening. They also worked with the MEC (finance minister). Reaction and attendance was
good. Community involvement and reaction has improved. For example, before, many community
members did not take the police force seriously. People know they have rights but they don't know that
they are limited. Now with the “visible policing,” this is changing.
Community projects such as these are advertised with an invitation to stakeholders, by announcements at
churches, pamphlets to business owners, and loud hailing the day before. In Tshidilamolomo, imbizos are
not very frequent: there was only one in the last year and not many people came. At the events, people
give feedback, then there are referrals and follow ups. Stock theft was a problem and many people were
complaining, so the Captain began an investigation into the problem. I asked if anyone is not being
reached by these methods and she said everyone is being reached. Sometimes they will also go to the

adio in Mafikeng, for example, when there is a missing child. Also if people see smoke, they know there
will be food. When they have some funds, such as for cosial crime prevention from provinces they will
offer catering and T-shirts “your child is my child” as part of the outreach effort.
I asked how the Captain had the idea of these projects and she said it came from “reported cases.” When
cleaning houses for the elderly, they learn that they don't have IDs, Birth Certificates, that they need
letters, etc. The Women's network come and make gardens at the TSC, where the water is free and the
swale is free. There is some interest but they need community leaders.
The lack of person power is a big issue. Ideally for each of the 3 sectors, there would be a sector
manager and several officers. The furthest village in the sector is 49 K from the station. Just to come and
make an affidavit, it’s not possible for people to travel to the station. There are some satellite centres for
this purpose that include a sub forum CPF (community policing forum), Reservists, and a sector manager.
The chiefs have already arranged the accommodation for these satellite centres. They are just awaiting to
make an application to him provincial commission to request allocation and advertise a post through
SAPS.
Reservists receive incentives: 63,000 was allocated for 2008-2009. On certain dates, they are called and
paid 128.72 R for 8 hours. They are called in this way for 10 days. This hasn't been approved but the
application has been sent in, they will likely be paid for all of these 10 days. Usually these are important
days, such as pension pay out days, which require the police force to spend long days in shops and
taverns patrolling.
Captain Mokaba is not sure of how many people live in Tshidilamolomo. Languages spoken are Setswana,
some isiZulu and isiXhosa.
The main reasons that people come to the station are to report cases, to sign an affidavit (for child grant
support), and to seek info/advice about available assistance (domestic violence, complaints, stabbings),
which they then go to Mafikeng to receive.
Captain Mokaba is not sure how the Thusong Service Centre advertises its services. She is not aware of
any projects by SASSA. She wanted to get Home Affairs involved in one of their outreach projects,
because many people were missing birth certificates and Ids. There are many suicides but no way to ID.
The joint effort was a success the first day but the second day, Home Affairs didn't show up due to a lack
of transport.
Police station works closely with CDWs. They communicate with the CDWs a lot, help identify people who
need assistance from the CDW, and work together on outreach projects. The last project with the MEC,
they went with the CDW to get some houses built. This was a co-ordinated effort.
Lizza Bogosi: Social worker
Interviewed by Mad on 14 April. Her office was being remodelled or constructed? So she was using the
clinic kitchenette as a temporary office. She describes her work as “generic work”, doing lots of
everything, including counselling, community work, orphan and foster placement. Fostering is a big
challenge because there are many orphans.
Lizza Bogosi is a social worker, she studied 4 years at Mafikeng. She started at the TSC May 2007 and she
stays in the community. She was 3 months in the Free State before accepting this post. She says it is
challenging to work and live in the same community because people who know you may try to take
advantage, ask you for certain favours.
She works closely with health and SAPS. She gets referrals from both of these other departments. She
says they work together well, though they don't have a regular weekly meeting across departments. She

has weekly duties but treats all referrals from health and SAPS as emergencies. For example, this
morning, a child stole money and SAPS was called. They referred the whole family to her and she met
with them immediately for about an hour of counselling.
Lizza Bogosi handles about 40 clients/cases at a time and sees them all once a week. She gets about 5
referrals a week. Many referrals are for affidavits. She reports that most speak Setswana. She speaks
Sotho, Pedi, Afrikaans, and English.
The main office for the social development is in Setlagole, 75K from Tshidilamolomo. She usually has a
meeting once a month with staff from this office. Her supervisor visits her 3 times a month for meetings.
She uses her cellphone every day to call the office to request stationary, advice, resources/info, and to
organise programmes or leave messages.
For example, they organise specific programmes targeting substance abuse, disability, the elderly,
restorative justice, victim empowerment, child & family, early child development (ECDs) and HIV/Aids.
Each social worker usually leads an initiative. Lizza Bugosi is the coordinator for the disability
programmes.
Lizza Bugosi feels that the distance for her cases (less than 20K) is manageable and her transport is paid
for. I asked if people must wait a long time to see her and she said that yes, on Tuesdays, she doesn't
take interviews so it can be very busy (from 8:30 to 4). People usually come with a problem and she often
recommends a 2nd party to come too, such as another family member. Common problems are relatives
with orphans, domestic violence, marital disputes, and child abuse. She doesn't work much with the
disabled or their caretakers.
On Monday, she works on administrative responsibilities, usually about 40% of that time is spent at the
computer complete foster care reports which she then brings to the main office in person during one of
her regular visits. On Tuesday, she takes appointments which can last anywhere from 20 min to 3 hours.
On Wednesday, she conducts home visits, for people who need to go to court or for child placement. She
struggles with transport, which she must pay for or get a lift. Unemployment is very high in this
community, so members often cannot travel to her. On Thursday, she takes interviews. On Friday, she
does administrative tasks, including attending meetings.
Her primary goal is to foster children and to see these children having careers and further studies, not
just growing up to depend on child support for income. She tries to motivate these kids to save their $$
and seek further education. She uses herself as an example. She feels her job is a calling. She talks to
kids and says Education and Church should be your “boyfriend”, because tomorrow it will give you
something to eat. She speaks to them about her personal experience, she tells them her secret: I am
from here, I lived this life, it was not easy, but you can be like me too. The job is a challenge and a lot of
work, often after hours. One challenge is that she is often misunderstood, people see her as being unfair.
She tries to leave everything at the office when she goes home and just focus on her family.
She has seen some improvement during her post. She encourages people to report on a monthly basis, to
see how they are using grants, helping them to organise grants and use them wisely. She will meet with
groups sometimes instead of individuals and take attendance. I asked who might still not be reached by
her services. She said she is trying, that the Thusong Service Centre is really trying. The police officers
are out in the field, they refer many people to her who are illiterate and vulnerable.
She has 2 cellphones – one for work (paid by work) one is personal. She also has a landline (dept of child
development pays) which is cheaper to use. People have both numbers and use both.
She is interested in pursuing further studies.

Mrs Tshabalala: Clinic Facility Manager
Interviewed by Mad on 14 April. Accepted our request for an interview but warned that usually she needs
permission from the local area manager. I told her we could focus on the facilities, not on her job or on
any evaluative aspects of operations. Mrs Tshabalala works for the department of health and is
responsible for running the clinic which is part of the Thusong Service Centre.
The clinic is a comprehensive clinic that includes:
1. family planning
2. psychology
3. chronic illness
4. mother & child
5. voluntary testing (VCT)
It is one building with several rooms:
1. 2 consulting rooms
2. waiting area
3. 2 utility rooms
4. post-natal care room
5. delivery room
6. kitchenette
7. reception area
8. 4 toilets and ablution blocks
9. staff room
10. social worker room
The clinic operates Monday to Friday from 8 to 5pm. There are other clinics nearby that are smaller with
similar hours. I asked how often people had to be referred to Mafikeng, she reported once a month in an
ambulance and one to two times a month for doctors visits for chronic illnesses. Emergencies are rare. At
night, community members must call the ambulance (10177) or go to the nearest clinic: Makhobestad 22
K. An ambulance is stationed here but is sometimes at headquarters in Radkhlou.
20-50 people a day visit the clinic. Towards month end, more, as they do child weighing and
immunizations. They must open a vial for measels and share it with 10 babies so the prefer to group kids
into one day. She says they don't get calls from the community. One of the main services the clinic
provides is health education. They give education in the morning and keep mothers informed about
immunization schedules.
For example:
o at birth – TB prevention
• at 6 wks – polio, hep, dtp
• 4 wks later – polio help dtp
• 4 wks later – polio, hep, dtp
• 9 months – measles
• 1 yr – measles
• 6 years – diptheria, polio
Mothers are given health information and this schedule when they come in. They get a card to remember
the dates. I asked what if they are illiterate and can’t read the card – she says then they will just show it
to another family member. She feels the people are very informed. She feels they are doing a good job at
education.
They also conduct door-to-door campaigns and advertise programs with placards at schools and churches.
She also has a personal cellphone which she will use when she needs to contact a client urgently.

Sometimes they will call her for results from voluntary testing. She uses the landline if the call will likely
take a long time, for example, if calling the pharmacy for orders or delivery. She has one computer used
for reports and administration. There is no email. They have a fax but it is broken right now.
She works hand in hand with the Thusong Service Centre and police department. She works with the
Community Health Workers who can aid in covering distance, who check primary schools and who run a
small garden at the clinic. There are around 22 CHWs in Tshidilamolomo.
The clinic is adequately sourced. There is a district manager and a local area manager in Ratlego. She is
one of many clinics that they oversee.

Appendix 15 Field Visit: Free State (Botshabelo)
Background
7 April, 2008
8 am – 12:30 pm
Team: Tebogo Gumede, Madelaine Plauche & Mpho Kgampe
Botshabelo is 50 K to the East of Bloemfontein. The community is large, contains rural and urban areas,
and is isolated from nearby communities. It contains a shopping centre with about 4 large stores, 2 gas
stations and housing that is mostly brick and clay walls with corrugated tin roofs. One community on the
west side of the highway is not officially part of the municipality so it is unimproved, they call it “mafifing”
(“dark”). The municipality has asked the people there to move but they like it there are asking for
improvements. The day we were there, they were installing pipes to install sewage and water lines. The
community was divided into sections.
Julia Nnyane Matsau: TSC manager
The TSC is about 3 k from the highway and main shopping centre. It is a large brick building with a
courtyard that contains a Post Office, a bakery, a library, a surgery (clinic), a community hall, and a
SASSA office. The owner of the building also has space in the building – he rents the space to the
municipality. The day we are there, about 30 teenagers are practicing a dance in the hall. About 5 people
are waiting to see Ms. Matsau and the social worker in the two offices that are side by side. The SASSA
office has about 3 people behind a counter with laptops – there are about 10 people waiting to be helped.
The library has books in many languages and one librarian. There are about 10 people quietly studying in
the hall, most are teenagers or in their early twenties.
The day we came, the telephone was out because the cables were stolen. There was no computer or fax
machine visible in Ms. Matsau office. Premier’s office must repair the phone lines now. Ms. Matsau takes
us around for the rest of the day. Ms. Matsau received a lot of training for her job at Pretoria and
Harrismith that was provided by GCIS. She was a clerk before at a govt. dept.
Ms. Matsau doesn’t know how many people live in Botshabelo. About 700-1,000 people come to the TSC
every month It is a mix of new people and regulars. They come with a wide range of questions and
problems, including domestic violence and a need for employment or govenment financial support. Ms.
Matsau will talk to Susan about conducting some household surveys for us. They can’t be paid because
they are government employees.
Batsoho Makhetha: CDW manager
The municipal office is in a group of 5-6 large buildings about 3 km away, and closer to the shopping
centre. Mr. Makhetha is a public participation officer, a manager and a mentor of CDWs for the
Botshabelo community. He gives them access to info, how to implement the programs, how to link
activities of municipality to community. How to link them to other govt depts. Most of the programs
implemented are programs the CDWs have come up with on their own.
Each CDW must report to the office in the morning to decide on what they will do for that day to “talk
talk.” Before they go back to their communities to work for the day. He needs to know what they are
planning for that day. This program was started in 2005. The local govt dept. employs them, the
municipal centre deploys them. All are staying in Botshabelo. There are 12 wards and 9 CDW, ideally each
ward has its own CDW but they still need 3 to cover Botshabelo.

CDWs have no money for transport and not enough resources. They are scrambling for stationary.
An example of a big event is if the Home Affair office or SASSA want to provide outreach where they go
to a school and register a lot of people all at once for IDs, birth certificates, etc. The CDW are needed to
help get the word out. Other means for getting the word out are public meetings, flyers, radio spots, loud
hailers. The loud hailers aren’t for giving out info – that’s what the public meetings are for. They are for
advertising that the public meeting is going to take place.
If the event has musicians and catering, then LOTS of people will come. For an upcoming event, he is
making 42 copies for each of the ward councillors and the CDWs, plus a radio spot.
How many people are in each ward? I don’t know. Some numbers are estimated at 750,000 – should be
more though, in his opinion. Sotho is the main language spoken – also Xhosa and Zulu.
How do Mr. Makhetha and Ms. Matsau communicate (especially when phone lines are down?) The CDW
who is responsible for her ward keep him posted of her activities.
The community has 9 clinics, 3 of them are 24 hours. Some NGOs are active too like Well Vision
(community development), Lovelife centre (AIDS and youth), NGO for disabilities, one old age home.
CDWs don’t work with these groups specifically, their major activity is local economic development. They
establish co-operatives, get SETA for training, and coordinate with University of Free State.
How do people communicate with you? By organizing amongst them then approaching a CDW, by coming
to the office of the regional director, and by attending and speaking up at public meetings, which the
councillors also attend.
Not an easy job, You can’t satisfy everyone. There is a lot of red tape and things move slowly. Other
departments sometimes don’t respond very quickly. On the other hand, they might call and say “so and
so is coming” so organise everyone to make sure that people attend. This can be stressful for him and
then he looks like he is not doing his job if it doesn’t happen fast enough. There is a monthly CDW
meeting at the provincial level where he communicates with other CDW managers. Sometimes he uses
the internet to get CDW resources. Ms. Mekarena is at the provincial level. He feels that CDWs should
have laptops, they need salaries, additional resources, stationary, and for help paying the phone bill and
transport. They can use the computer in his office – the municipality pays his phone bill and the
connection for the computer.
Each ward is big – the CDWs may have an urban or a rural area to cover. To cover the whole area is to
drive to Joburg and back.
CDW focus group: Susan
They attend public meetings, take notes at the meeting, and take down people’s contacts at the meetings
to follow up with them later. They keep their own case study files so they can follow up with people and
close a case when the problem is solved. Their training was 1 year but they felt it was too general. They
work very closely with councillors.
They pay for cellphones, transport, and stationary out of their own pocket. This is a big challenge for their
job which depends greatly on these resources to follow up on individuals. They feel optimistic though
because they know this is a new program and that it will likely improve with time. They also feel very
satisfied with the job because they see real impact – people come to them and show them their IDs and
their grants. They register people for Lesotho who are living here and then a few months later those
people are in the system and can be registered.
They communicate with other CDWs and with the National Govt at conferences – there they can talk

about how they need more resources. At that conference they agreed that in reality their job is 24 hour.
People call them all the time and come to their homes – 10 or more calls a day, 1-2 visits a night.
The CDWs did not want us to accompany them on their trips today. They really appreciated the pens we
gave them as a gift.
Community Crime Prevention Project
Three young men waiting in the waiting room approached me for a pen and asked if we had any
information on youth services. They had organised themselves as community patrollers and wanted
resources to run a pilot for their program in Botshabelo that could then be replicated elsewhere.
Home Affairs Office Manager
Home Affairs is located in a third big brick building very close to the shopping centres. The building is
shared with the Labour department. Across the street are union offices. The waiting room is full of about
100 people waiting to talk to 5 or 6 counter agents. The signs in the office are all in English. Most of what
they help people with is IDs, birth and death certificates, and passports. There are many offices in the
back. We go to speak with the manager – he is very busy so we just chat briefly. He suggests we talk to
the regional officer to implement such a system but that it sounds like a good idea to him.
Home Affairs Phone Operator
Marine answers the phone for the ID office. She only speaks English and Afrikaans. When people call,
they are usually asking for the status of their ID or passport – “is my passport ready?” “is my ID ready?”
She doesn’t check on their status, she just directs the calls to the right department. Most calls are in
Sotho but she just listens to the word “ID” or “passport” then directs the call first to the supervisor, if the
supervisor for that department doesn’t pick up, she directs the call to the front desk agents. She has
thought about going to learn Sotho, she can get a bursary but if she doesn’t pass, she will have to pay
the money back so she is not so sure she wants to go.
She gets about 10 -50 calls a day, sometimes she gets prank calls, which call back. She is not sure if
someone is on the line or if it is a faulty connection.
Sometimes calls come in from service points. Service points are towns that the Home Affairs office goes
out to visit, like a Mobile clinic. She helps arrange that the documents get bundled and sent out to the
next mobile clinic visit.
Lots of people don’t call, they come in to the office. Big complaints go to the newspaper, then a ward
councillor or Home Affairs worker sees the article and faxes it in to the dept.
Home affairs doesn’t take pictures, the shack outside the building takes the pictures for people. If there is
a problem processing an ID or passport, then they will retake the picture.
Citizens Waiting in Home Affairs office
Outside the office we spoke to two young ladies who had come to home affairs to regester their new
borns and get birth certificates. They said that at the clinics were they gave birth, birth certificates are
offered but because they were not carrying their identity documents, they had to then go to this office.
They had been at the offices for an hour or two and felt the services they receive are good.
We also spoke to a gentleman who was at the home affairs offices to apply for citizenship. He was from
Lesotho and has been living in South Africa for …”over 10 years”. This visit was his fourth and he had
made a contact in the office with an official who was assisting him and giving him feedback on his
aaplication. This official gave him his direct phone number and today he had asked him to come for

additional feedback. This gentleman said he did not want to use telephone services to check his
application. He said he preferred face to face interaction and did not mind to take time off at work to find
out the status of his application. Generally, he was happy with the services of the office.
SASSA head: Mr Mabine
SASSA office is located in a fourth building about 6 buildings away from the Home Affairs office. The
hours are posted this time in Sotho. There are about 40 people waiting in a room to be served by 4
agents. There are a few computers around. We go to the back to meet Mr. Mabine, There are 2 people
waiting who have an exceptional and case and will see him for help.
Community meetings are the way that most citizens find out about what services they provide. They also
distribute English and Sotho pamphlets. Today, they don’t have any Sotho pamphlets left. The pamphlets
tell you who is eligible for what kind of grant and gives some numbers of offices around the country
(provincial level offices). He recommends we talk to the provincial person about implementing some sort
of phone system.
Most people are coming to the centre to apply for grants. They have already heard about what grants are
available. Some people want to hear it again from a person, even if they have seen it in the pamphlet.
Mostly they are travelling by TAXI. They are arranging with local govt to open another sub office. They
also conduct community outreach activities where they travel to a school and register a lot of people for
grants at once. They coordinate and work closely with the councillors and CDWs to plan the event and
raise awareness for it. With one month planning ahead of time usually. Lots of people show up which
means that many people are eligible and interested but don’t come to his SASSA centre. They are
planning to conduct even more outreach programs.
Major insights
TSC manager and CDW do not know how many people live in Botshabelo.
CDWs don’t have the resources they need to do their job.
Signs and even receptionist are in English.
Grassroots organizing is happening: CDWs come up with their own projects, met three young men who
had organised to be the community patrollers,
Public meetings and outreach is most successful way to disseminate info and to initiate contact between
govt. and citizens. Follow up relies on citizen action and CDWs.
Next Time
Cost structures of everything – how much does it cost you to come here?
What programs do the CDWs initiate?
Ask more people how many households are in their district.
Focus on health?
Literacy – ask about these pamphlets and signs. How many people show up when the office is closed?

Appendix 16 Field Visit: Eastern Cape (Sterkspruit)
Background
8 April 2008
8:00 – 1:00
Team: Tebogo Gumede, Madelaine Plauche, Gerrit Botha
Sterkspruit is about 50 k from the N6 and 250 K from Bloemfontein In Eastern Cape province but near the
border with the Free State in Umkhala municipal district. Sterkspruit town has a KFC, a gas station, a
pharmacy, a takeaway restaurant and a few other shops. It also has a large and new police station which
is located right next to the post office, the courthouse, the Thusong Centre and the community hall. All
the government buildings are in one place right down town. Many rural communities surround Sterkspruit
town. There are 91 villages in Sterkspruit, approximately 27,000 people + or -, but no one seems to have
an accurate figure or a list of households.
Mr Milindele: TSC manager
The TSC is a large brick building with a courtyard that contains a department of Home Affairs,
The day we are there, the minister of Safety and Security is coming to visit. He was there to open the
Police Station a week before and he held a public meeting with the people hearing their concerns now he
is back to respond to their concerns. His visit will include “door-to-doors” and Imbizo (public meeting).
Meeting with heads of departments
Mr. Milindele organised a meeting between us and various heads of departments in Sterkspruit. We
introduced ourselves and gave them a brief overview of what the Lwazi project is about. After that each
department representative gave us insight in how their department manages and distributes necessary
information.
Department of Health:
• Currently there is no internet within their department and they use faxes to communicate
internally.
• Distribute knowledge to the community using posters which are mainly in English. (The other
3 are Sotho, Zulu and Afrikaans).
• Health workers use their own airtime to contact patients.
Head of the Post Office:
• Use letters, news papers and pamphlets to distribute information.
• Internet is scarce in the department
• Do have a PIT (Public Internet Portal) on their premises, but it is faulty (Tebogo took photos
of the PIT). The installed system provides a user with internet access, printing facilities and
includes a web camera. The PIT also provides important governmental information. When
the system was working the main hassle was to manually restart the system after a power
shutdown. The TSC has a newer version of the PIT, but this is also not working or was
maybe not been put into use. The PIT is a non-free service. Money can be loaded onto a
smart-card and slotted into the PIT.

Head of Home Affairs:
• He told us of an SMS application which notifies an ID applicant that his ID is ready for
collection. This system is currently only implemented for ID applications. This system only
benefit those applications which posses cellphones.
Police (not sure if he was the head of the department):
• Information is distributed by using letters and visiting schools. These visits inform the
children on issues regarding domestic violence and substance abuse.
Head of GCIS:
• The department holds information days.
• They use the internet to check for events on the governmental calendar
Head of the Department of Justice:
• Distribute information through posters and awareness campaigns.
Head of SASSA:
• He mentioned information management systems such as the Integrated Community
Registration Programme (ICROP), the Improved Grant Administration Process (IGAP), and
the Social Pensions Database (SOCPEN). Our technology can potentially be useful in these
management systems. This still need to be determined.
Head of the Provincial Presidency:
• Feel that all governmental information needs to be available from a single source. Currently
different portals need to be accessed to obtain certain information. A single portal can make
things much easier.
• A certain 24 hour call centre exists for the East Coast region only. This centre provides all
sorts off governmental
• information (we need to investigate).
• People still feel more assured if they are given information in person (when visiting
governmental centres), then using other services such as telephones.
The overall impression regarding the use of cellphones in governmental services was not positive. Their
reasons were:
• What about areas that do not have cellphone coverage?
• What about the poorest of the poor? They cannot afford cellphones.
• Some people are close to the border of Lesotho. They need two phones (probably just two
SIM-cards/service providers), one along the border and one within South Africa.
The team asked that we provide them with feedback after we finalized our reports.
Visit to the SASSA centre
There were +- 30 people standing in line when we came there. It seemed that only 2 officers were busy
helping the people. Each officer had his own office and own PC. We were given the opportunity to see
how an officer handled applications.
• The first applicant was an old lady who applied for a child grant for her grandchild. She was
turned back because the child was older than 14, but the officer told her that the
government is in the process of adjusting the maximum age to 18. She just has to wait for
this to happen.
• The second applicant was an old man who applied for his pension. To qualify for this grant
the applicant must be older than 65. The old man will only be 65 in seven months time, and
was therefore turned away.
Could these applicants rather have made a phone call and saved their time and money used for

transport?
The total time for completing a successful application, took 17 days. The first day the application is
processed internally and includes a check on existing grants given to the applicant. This is needed to
certify that he/she qualifies for this grant. From there the application is processed externally. The
application process can be tracked, so it is possible to know the processing phase at any given time. The
officer also mentioned that SITA developed their MIS.
Visit to Digital Village
Mr. Milindele took us to a room within the TSC, which is called the Digital Village. The room is equipped
with +- 10 new PCs, broadband internet capability and an expensive Minolta photocopier. Currently no
one is using these facilities. Mr. Mlindeli's reason is that they still need to cover huge amounts of
instalments (the photocopier contributes the most). The Digital Village was setup by some department
within the CSIR. The facilities was in work when they were there, but hey charged for using the facilities.
It does not seem that the department is still involved in this initiative.
CDW meeting: Noluthando Mqungquthu, Thembeka Setlai, Caswell Nxongwana, and Hlalele
Sereba
The meeting is conducted with Mr. Milindele present and due to a lack of chairs, we are all standing. The
CDWs report their main objective is to connect the community to govt services and to help them solve
their problems. The major problems in their wards vary – maybe there is a community organization, for
example a Youth Afterschool Program or a Piggery Project that needs funds. They require assistance
making a grant and applying it at the relevant place, for example the Sinqu Municipality (at the Thusong
Centre) or NGO. Maybe they have a lot of problems with domestic violence and the police do not respond.
They are curious why we are there. They are responsible for organizing events in their community –
connecting people with govt.
CDW shadowing: Noluthando Mqungquthu, Thembeka Setlai, and Coceka Mpu
Noluthando and Thembeka both started in 2006, towards the beginning of the program. They were
recruited by provincial DPSA for training. They pay for cellphones, transport, and stationary out of their
own pocket. They don’t seem too troubled about this. The National DPSA office promised at a conference
on the 14 th of March that they would receive funds for transport. They also feel very satisfied with the job
because they can work at home and they see impact in their own community. They want to make change
in their own community and that is satisfying deep down for them.
The time they trained depends – for some it is one year, for others more. The training depends on the
province. Some informative, some skills, and some practical training.
Their job is 24 hours. People call them first when they have to report a rape in the middle of the night,
when there is an emergency and someone needs an ambulance. They have no offices, their houses are
full of papers and files. They use their cellphones to call people directly. They have the contact # of
almost everyone in their ward. They know everyone’s surnames in Sterkspruit. They can use SMS’s to
contact ward committee members, but they know that if they SMS most community members, they will
not respond. They must call them directly. If someone (CDW included) has run out of airtime or has no
cellphone, they will use a public phone. People know their phone numbers because they tell them at the
Imbizos. People will usually not discuss problems over the phone because neither the CDW nor the other
person want to pay for airtime. Instead they use the phone to summon the CDW, notify them that they
have a need, then the CDW must come to them and hear the problem face to face. Then, they might
travel with a photocopy of an ID to the SASSA office to check on the status of an application that is taking
too long, for example, then report back to the person on what to do next.

Transport costs between R60 and R10 to get from outer communities to downtown Sterkspruit.
The CDWs think the phone service would be useful but they don’t know exactly why or how it would be
used.
First we hear that the minister of Safety and Security wants to do “door-to-door” visits and the CDWs are
to accompany him. We wait for over an hour for the officials outside the police department. Then we run
two errands to the sewing machine shop inside the surgery (across the street from the TSC) and to the
pharmacy, where some of the people waiting in line have come from 100 kilometres away.
We return back to the police station and are called into a planning meeting which is full of about 20 older
people who are mostly speaking isiXhosa but sometimes switch to English. They are preparing the
schedule for the visit of the minister. The schedule is printed in English and distributed around the room:
it includes a door-to-door then the Imbizo meeting. The minister enters and everyone stands as he takes
the head seat at the table and is briefed on the day’s activities. Then we all head out to the village in
about 20 cars and 100 people. The original plan was to visit a far away village, but because we are
running late, the convoy heads to the nearest village, Mokhesi, instead.
We are quite a spectacle, mostly police cars. First we descend on an old age home (with veggie garden).
The old age home is a project that was started with funds but is not sustainable so they always need
additional funds. This is where I first meet Coceka Mpu, the CDW for Mokhesi village (more or less 8,000
in this village and ward- the same in this case), where she also lives. I take a picture of the 3 CDWs and
my camera is spotted so for the rest of the trip, I am asked to take pictures of the minister.
The next stop is at an older woman’s home. There are 10 older ladies around (and over 50 people
gathered in their courtyard), they are telling the minister that the taverns are staying open after 8 and
that this is a cause of some of the violent crime. One of the older ladies was murdered by people who had
been drinking all night long and came to rob and kill her. Others spoke up about how many illegal taverns
are operating all night long instead of closing up at 8 or 9 as their license requires. They feel this is the
cause of much of the violent crime in their community such as raping, robbing, and murder. The three
CDWs said they have similar problems in their communities and that taverns staying open late is certainly
part of the problem. People cannot be right in their head when they rape an 85 year old pensioner.
Another problem they mention is that it will take many years before a criminal (whose crime has
witnesses!) is arrested and jailed. This person will continue to live in the community and in some cases,
continue to kill. The community does not talk to the police when they investigate because they are not
sure what the role of the police is and that they are there to serve and protect them. There are also many
cases of policemen getting shot for their weapons and illegal weapons in the village. This, in combination
with drunks, is a big cause of violent crime.
They don’t know much about other drugs, only alcohol is the main problem.
Finally, we travel to a legal tavern and the minister talks to the owner there about the problems he has
discussed with others in the community. They talk about licensing because the owner helps other tavern
owners apply for licenses. They talk about how to make sure the other owners comply with the terms,
such as closing at 8 or 9 and what to do with the illegal tavern operators. This the final visit of the
morning.
Imbizo with Minister of Safety and Security
The Imbizo is held in a large hall near the TSC and when we arrive it is full with about 150-200 people
seated and another 50-100 standing. At the front of the hall there is along table set up where the Minister
and other officials are sitting, mainly listening to people from the community. There is a queue down the
middle aisle and one side aisle to the microphones up front. People are speaking their grievances at the
microphone, mostly talking about crime. One person was beat up for no reason – what is the minister

going to do about it? One person said that the police are out of touch with the community. A criminal had
committed a crime and the police came and asked him if he knew about any criminals in the community
who might have been involved and the criminal just said no and the police didn’t know that they were
talking to the perpetrator.
The CDWs attend the Imbizo to listen to problems and then later, to do follow ups on whether people’s
needs are being met. They will also hold the officials accountable for any promises they make at the
meeting.
At the door of the Imbizo were pamphlets in isiXhosa and English, stacks of Vukukunzele magazine in
print and in Braille.
Major insights
One of the primary responsibilities of the CDW is to arrange and attend meetings between the community
and government.
CDWs are much empowered individuals. They know their rights and they know where to go to pressure
government to enforce and comply with those rights. They also are deeply committed to improving
conditions in their community.
English is the language of government.
There is no obvious application for TTS and ASR. Some ideas are: OpenPhone style dialog system for
SASSA and other govt services – “the Oral Pamphlet”
Technology costs money to use and maintain.
Technology is abandoned if no one is trained to use it.
People CDWs communicate with
Effective ways to communicate with this
group
Illiterate people with no electricity Imbizo, call from public phone followed by
visit
Illiterate people with electricity and Imbizo, call from public or cellphone or visit
phones
to CDW house, followed by visit
Literate people with phones Same as above
Ward committee members SMSs or calls, regular meetings
Other CDWs SMSs or calls, regular meetings
CDW manager SMS, calls, regular meetings
Provincial DPSA Frequent conferences
National DPSA Frequent conferences
Next time
More interviews with people waiting for govt services. More cost information about airtime, travel, etc…
Community and Household surveys

Appendix 17 Field Visit: Limpopo (Ohrigstad)
Background
15 to 18 April 2008
Team: Tebogo Gumede and Nathi Mqalo
Thusong Service Centres (TSC) are government’s primary vehicle for the implementation of development
communication and information and to integrate government services into primarily rural communities.
This was done to address historical, social and economic factors, which limited access to information,
services and participation by citizens, as they had to travel long distances to access these services.
http://www.thusong.gov.za/ .
Thusong Service Centres focuses on six services namely: Government social and administrative services,
Office services, Education and skills development services, Local Economic Development (LED) services,
Business services and community, Information and communication activities
Kautswane is 350 kilometres from Pretoria and 10 kilometres from Orhistad town. There are 20 villages
located in beautiful mountains. The area is rural with dirt / gravel roads. Opening ‘own business’ is
common in this area, there is a small one room shop or a ‘spaza’ shop every 500 metres. There are 3
primary schools and 4 high schools. There also are a number of crèches / day schools for children under
6 years. There are three buses in the morning at 6, 8 and 10 going to town (Ohrigstad) and neighbouring
big cities Lydenburg and Burgersfort. The majority of households in this area have electricity. Water is
accessed through ‘unreliable’ communal taps or rain tanks.
TSC manager: Clara Masinga
This TSC is run by Ms Clara Masinga, affectionately known as Mme Clara. The centre is at the centre of
the village off the main road. There are no signs to the centre along the road or at the gate. The gate
next to the centre is the entrance to the local clinic. The clinic is 4 years old. The two big gates to the
clinic are always closed (only opened when people go in). There is also no sign indicating that the
building is a clinic. On the wall of the security house, which is outside the clinic, there was a hand written
notice that there will be a doctor on the 23 rd April. The note was written in SePedi.
The centre is made of donated containers built into 7/8 offices. The containers were donated by Surf
Marine from Cape Town and the Japanese embassy. A local farmer donated doors and windows.
Adjacent to this building is a hall with a kitchen. The hall is made of mud and often used as a breakfast
dining area and a hall where visitors meet with the community for training or information sharing.
Approximately 300m away from the centre is a hall that could house 500 people. Mme Clara said that the
community uses it for community meetings but she monitors it closely. Inside are plastic chairs and a
broken wood table. Next to the hall is Bama Lodge run by Mme Clara. The lodge has 9 thatch roofed
mud houses. Each one has a receiving area with a kitchen sink, table and chairs and on the other side is
a sofa with a coffee table. Then there is a door leading to a bedroom with a double bed and a wardrobe.
From the bedroom there is another door leading to the bathroom. The bathroom has a toilet, hand basin
and a shower. All these are used manually as there is no running water.
Clara Masinga was a teacher for 10 years before starting the work she currently does. She also has
Integrated Community building training from Technikon South Africa. She also did a short courses on
business run by an NGO called BEEHIVE. She started the centre at her home in 1992. At the time, she
did not have funding. She started receiving funding in 1996 from DPSA.
The centre services 20 villages with approximately 100 000 people. There are 20 people working at the
centre and another 180 volunteers based in the community. The activities at the centre include catering,

sowing, beadwork, garden, poultry, safety, home affairs and labour. During the two days we spent there,
the services we witnessed functioning were police services, sports and culture, feeding people who visit
the clinic, teaching by an NGO, a soccer game by local boys and gardening.
Clara does not know what Community Development Workers (CDW) does. They work with the local
counsellor. She arranged for us to meet with one of the two CDWs through the counsellor.
The community learns about the services of the centre through home based care visits and the chief.
Mme Clara sometimes sends messages to the community through school children.
The centre has a good relationship with Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)
national office.
The centre has 20 computers. Clara has an email address but has never been formally trained to use a
computer. She has a personal cellphone and there is a solar land line at the centre. There is no fax.
Inside the computer centre there is a photocopy machine and a modem. These were donated by Wireless
unit at Meraka.
The Christian Reformed Church and Woolworths Stores donate clothes for the community through the
centre. Clara feels that the centre needs the following additional services: business skills training and
programmes for orphans and vulnerable children.
CDW focus group discussion. 7 women: three at a crèche, two old persons and two do
garden and cooking
This group said they enjoy working with the community but were all quick to mention that it is not easy
and that they have challenges. They all do not have any previous work experience outside Kautswane.
They said ‘there are no jobs’. Their services are announced through schools, children tell the parents.
And at times the community is informed through the centre.
Working with the aged
The group of ladies that works with the aged said they enjoy working and learning from the elders. Most
of their ‘clients’ are women who live alone. This team is not young itself. They looked in their late forties
to fifty years. Their daily work includes preparing food supplement for the aged. They receive a pack of
food supplements from the government (not sure from which department) through the local store-Super
Store. They wash the aged, help them take their medication and do errands for them. The main
challenge they have in delivering their service is that they do not have pots to cook.
Working at a crèche
The three women who work with children, each one owns a different crèche. Each one had
approximately 30 children. The school fee is R30 per child. They take children from just under a year old
to 6 years. Parents leave the children from 07h00.
One of their main challenges is that due to parents being unemployed, they do not pay school fees. They
therefore end up not getting paid. This leads to teachers not staying at this job. The crèches receive
money from social services but it is meant for children’s stationery and equipment.
CDW (KII)
Bev Mogale is 1 of the 2 Community Development Workers (CDW) in the area. She works closely with
the local counsellors as opposed to working with the centre. Clara does not have her numbers but called
the counsellor to ask her to talk to us at the centre. She also responded to our community survey. Bev
started this work in September 2007. Before then she was a volunteer (2004 to 2007). She is employed

y GCIS on a part time basis. She is still attending the 1 year training given by GCIS through the
University of Venda. At the end of this learner ship (August), she will go through another interview.
The CDW course she is attending has five blocks:
Block 1 & 2 – municipality, responsibility of servants, dress code (avoid wearing political party t-shirts),
Block 3 & 4 – Budget
Block 5 – computer
The municipality she serves is called Tubatsi. Her day starts at 07h30. She visits 2 villages per day. At
times she is unable to visit all villages in one week. The community learns about her services through the
chief and the counsellor. Her services include assisting people to obtain relevant documentation,
informing the counsellor of community needs and informing the community of meetings and events at the
counsellor’s office.
She said that people in this community people are “lazy”. They are always complaining that there are no
jobs but they do not go out to look for jobs. She said her community does not read. Her peers does do
not read newspapers where jobs are advertised and therefore they don’t see when there are posts.
CDWs have provincial workshops where they get to meet and learn from each other. In October 2008
they will be attending the presidential conference in Pretoria. She personally does not have a relationship
with national office but communicates often with province (Mr Ratshidi).
Sport, arts and recreation: KII with Sharon
This is a learner-ship post that Sharon saw advertised at the municipality offices. Her academic
background is matric, business management, learner-ship on computer literacy and Windows. She
teaches sport especially indigenous games. She recruits her teams from schools. She likes her job but
would like to have a permanent post. She is currently actively looking for a job.
Her work ‘keeps children away from crime’. She uses her cellphone to call community members and the
counsellor. When she is not busy she volunteers at the centre.
Her main challenge is that she has to write monthly reports on work done in order to get paid. If she
does not submit a report, she does not get paid. She feels that her community is ‘ignorant’ and they like
‘free things’.
She knows other people in the province who do the same work (in Vembe and Sekhukhuni). She met
them once at a provincial workshop in September 2007.
Ishmael (KII)
Ishmael is one of the volunteers at the TSC. He is running the computer lab, drives the centre vehicle and
is involved in government projects. The centre was started by his aunt (Clara). He has been assisting
her on a part time basis since then. He is currently at the centre full time doing project work with Reinzie
(from CSIR - Meraka) on the Infopreneauship project (EPWP). Before joining the centre full time, he was
working in Pretoria at Checkers for ‘many years’. When he was in Pretoria he did ‘soul searching’ and
decided he wants to be involved in the development of youth.
He said people are excited about technology development and the excitement is not age based. He said
that some people in the community have computers.
On government services Ishmael said that people do not believe in local government. The Kautswane
community has a bad relationship with the counsellors, and because there had been a lack of service
delivery ‘people do not take what they say serious’. He also mentioned that the community is divided into

clicks, some are preferred than others. His relationship with traditional authority is also bad!
The infopreneuship project he is dong with CSIR is trying to bridge a gap between government and
community and to inform people about technology. This project also assists people to start businesses.
The project is still a theory.
On the centre, Ishmael felt that it is not serving the community well. He said that the style of
management is not producing good service and people’s expectations are not met. Government
departments used to provide services at the centre but not anymore. He thinks that this is because the
civil servants are not committed to their work and the current government is sure that they will win the
next elections.
Police
Police visit the centre daily. Community members go to the centre for services such as to certify
documents and check progress on reported cases. One police officer came to the centre on both days of
our visit. On one day he came twice. We could not secure a meeting with him because he was always on
route to another village.
Four household surveys
Mme Clara arranged 5 households for us to visit. She wrote letters to them informing them about our
visit. Of the five households we managed to visit four and of these one declined to participate in the
study. On our arrival at the Mkhonto household we found the head and the wife sitting outside. We
introduced ourselves and confirmed that they were expecting us (they received the letter from Mme
Clara). After stating the purpose of our visit Mrs Dorah Mkhonto declined saying she does not have
anything to say to us.
We later learned that she was the head of the home based care team and has recently resigned because
of accusations of mismanagement of funds.
The other households we visited were the Mangoana, Shabangu and Mdluli. They were different in their
socio-economic level but the same in that they were run by women. This could be because they were
selected by Clara or could be because the general household composition in this area, like in most rural
households, is headed by women.
Lwazi gifts
We gave Lwazi gifts to Ishmael, Clara, Sharon and Bev. The women who participated in FGD we gave
CSIR pens.

Appendix 18 Connecting South Africans with Disabilities:
Workshop Report (English)
Lwazi Workshop
Connecting South Africans with Disabilities
Conducted by
Human Language Technologies
Dr. Madelaine Plauché
Aditi Sharma
Olga Martirosian
Victor Zimu
&
National Accessibility Portal
Shela Boshomane
Gugu Khalala
Event:
3 March, 2008
Report:
28 March, 2008

Table of Contents
1. Background
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Workshop Format
2. Technology for people with disabilities
3. Connection
3.1 Communication
3.2 Respect
3.3 Technology
3.4 Access
4. Action
4.1 Educate
4.1.1 Build Public Awareness
4.1.2 Empower Children
4.1.3 Inform and Train Adults
4.2 Organise
4.2.1 Join or Start an Advocacy Group
4.2.2 Change What You Can
4.2.3 Coordinate across Advocacy Groups
4.2.4 Pressure Government
4.3 Involve
4.3.1 Guidelines for Technology Design
4.3.2 Technology for the Disabled Community
4.3.3 Feedback on Meraka Technologies
Appendix A: Focused Discussion – Table Hosts' Script
Appendix B: Focused Discussion – Facilitator's Script

1. Background
Researchers from two research groups, Human Language Technologies (HLT) and National Accessibility
Portal (NAP), from the Meraka Institute at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) held a
one day workshop on March 3, 2008 at the Msunduzi Hospice Conference Centre at 200 Zwartkop Road,
Prestbury, in Pietermaritzburg as part of the Lwazi project. The Lwazi project is a research program
funded by the Department of Arts and Culture to distribute automated health and government services
over the telephone, using speech and language technologies, such as speech recognition and speech
synthesis for all of the eleven official languages of South Africa. Participants of the workshop were largely
comprised of active members of a wide range of disability organizations in the Durban, Howick, and
Pietermartizburg areas. Participants also included citizens with disabilities and employers, personal
assistants, and family members of citizens with disabilities.
1.1. Objectives
The workshop was conducted with three objectives:
• to allow HLT and NAP researchers to hear directly from potential benefactors of a telephonebased
system that distributes health and government information, in this case from South
African citizens with disabilities,
• to exhibit the National Accessibility Portal project and South African language technologies,
• to strengthen connections among the participants of the workshop who are active and
engaged in parallel efforts in the Pietermaritzburg area.
1.2. Workshop Format
The workshop consisted of two main activities: focused discussions and technology demonstrations.
Focused discussions
Two focused discussions were held (See Appendix A), one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
During each focused discussion, participants sat at tables with 5 to 7 people each. Each table had a “table
host” who facilitated 4 rounds of discussion, ranging from individual contributions to lively exchange. A
question is posed to guide the conversation. In the morning session, the question discussed in each small
group was:
(As a citizen with disabilities,) when have you felt most connected?
This question was intended to raise a wide range of definitions for the word “connection” and to
encourage people to speak from personal experience. In the afternoon session, participants were
organised into different small groups to discuss a way forward:
What action can we each take to make sure South Africa's citizens with disabilities are fully
integrated and connected to society?
After 4 rounds of discussion, the table host from each small group was able to share major themes and
ideas with the other small groups. The process was adopted because it taps into each person's wisdom
and allows people to learn from one another. It is a process that is being used throughout the world in
government, non profits, businesses, and even in areas of conflict, to foster deeper understanding
between people. The result is a collection of needs and personal experiences which can guide
researchers, activists, and family members to create solutions and organise for change.
Technology Demonstrations
Four technology stations were arranged to allow participants to freely explore demonstrations of relevant
technologies currently in development at the Meraka Institute. The Human Language Technologies team

invited participants to interact with
• OpenPhone: A General Health Hotline for Caregivers of Children with AIDS
• Lwazi Child Immunization Demo and Language Learning Demo
• Text-to-Speech Synthesis for Afrikaans, Zulu, and American English
• At a fourth station, the National Accessibility Portal project exhibited the NAP portal, NAP
Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and GNAPP.

Participants:
Prunes Chetty Pietermaritzburg Mental Health
mhsworkshops@xsinet.co.za
133 Loop Street, PMB
Tasmia Dayaram Association for Physically Challenged
(APC ), Pietermaritzburg
apcpmb1@telkomsa.net
Alex Dlamini Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu Natal
dlaminia@dae.kzntl.org.za
Mvunseni Gumede Albinism
14833 Po Box Stanger 4450
Sandie Isaacs PADI Pietermaritzburg
37 Walthew square, Lower greyling St.,
Pietermaritzburg 3201
Yvette Isaacs 95 Peach Road, Woodland,
Pietermaritzburg 3201
Sarah Johnston Health Services
eduarch@mweb.co.za
117 Sweetwaters Road, Boughton
Swazi Khuboni DPSA
128 Pine Street, PMB 3200
Robert L. Kluge Masibumbane HIV/AIDS Mission
rlk@futurenet.co.za
Po BOX 637, Hilton 3245
Phindile Luswazi KwaZulu Natal Blind & Deaf Society,
Durban
Linda Maphanga Ethembeni School
maphangale@telkomsa.net
Fax 033 387 6070
Pam McLaren Disability Action Research Team (DART)
dart@sai.co.za
12 Millar Street, Howick 3290
Mncedisi Mdunyelwa KZN Department of Helath
mncedisi.mdunyelwa@kznhealth.gov.za
121 Chief Albert Luthuli Street,
Pietermaritzburg, 3201
Joel Mlaba
Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu Natal
mlabaj@dae.kzntl.gov.za
Cynthia Mnikathi KwaZulu Natal Blind & Deaf Society
cynthiamnikathi@webmail.co.za
PO Box 512, Luxmi 3207
Note taker and Enabled Environment posters were also displayed.

Poovie Naidoo Association for Persons with Physical
Disabilities
Cnr New Holme & Olympia Way,
Northdale, PMB
Gugu Ndlovu Department of Agriculture and
Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu Natal
ndlovug@dae.kzntl.gov.za
Lucky Ndwandwe KwaZulu Natal Blind & Deaf Society,
Durban
Rehab.nbds@telkomsa.net 031 309 4991 fax 031 309 3048
23 Lorne Street Durban
Thandi Ntombela Inkanyiso Day Care Centre for Disabled
Children
P. O. Box 922, Howick 3290
Corrine Pillay Arthur Blaxall School
blaxall@futurenet.co.za
Archie Roberts Disability Research and Training
eduarch@mweb.co.za
117 Sweetwaters Road, Boughton
Sithembiso Sibiya KZN Department of Helath
sithembiso.sibiya2@kznhealth.gov.za 073 88 5008/ 072 805 6317
Barbara Watt African Enterprise Pietermaritzburg
dart@sai.co.za
12 Millar Street, HOWICK 3290
Pretty Zondi
Association for Physically Challenged
(APC ), Pietermaritzburg
11 New England Road, Scottsville 3201
Bongi Zuma CREATE
create3@telkomsa.net
35 Hyslop Road, PMB, 3201
Organizers Meraka Institute (CSIR)
Shela Boshomane
Gugu Khalala
Olga Martirosian
Madelaine Plauche
Aditi Sharma
Victor Zimu
sboshomane@csir.co.za
gkhalala@csir.co.za
omartirosian@csir.co.za
mplauche@csir.co.za
asharma1@csir.co.za
vzimu@csir.co.za
Workshop Venue
Trevor Clowes Msunduzi Hospice Association
trevor@hospicekzn.co.za 086 688 6549
P O Box 22023, Mayorswalk, 3208

2. Technology for people with disabilities
Linda Maphanga, a teacher at Ethembeni school, opened the workshop by speaking about how
technology has affected her life as a visually impaired person. In general, she found that mobile phones
and landline phones are not designed for easy use by disabled people. Beeps and other sounds on
cellphones don't make sense for a blind person. Telkom's national directory is inaccessible because it is
not available in Braille, even the emergency numbers are not provided in Braille. This means that, even in
an emergency situation, the blind must depend on a sighted person for help, which compromises their
privacy, or they must use 1023 directory services, which usually means being on hold for a long time. She
recommended that a useful feature for phones for the disabled would be a “panic button”, which
immediately calls close friends and relatives, or an “emergency key”, which immediately calls policy and
emergency numbers.
The cost of technologies and other barriers to access for people with disabilities was another major theme
in Linda Maphanga's analysis of their effectiveness in improving aspects of people's lives. Video
conferencing over phones, a technology for the deaf, is very expensive. Software programs for reading for
the blind are also costly and can only read English, so they aren't useful to non-English speakers. People
that live in rural areas, where there is often no electricity, cannot operate computers and can't charge
cellphones. Privacy and dignity are other major considerations when designing technology for people with
disabilities. Companies that make technologies for people with disabilities don't see a big market and thus
don't engage in major adaptation. There is much evidence to suggest that technology for people with
disabilities is designed and implemented only as an afterthought.
3. Connection
Question 1: As a citizen with disabilities, when have you felt most connected?
The first focused discussion question was designed to elicit each person's own definition of the word
connection. The personal experiences of participants across the small groups indicates that the feeling of
connection is fostered through:
• Communication
• Respect
• Technology
• Access
3.1. Communication
Participants don't feel connected if they don't understand the language spoken, if their software is unable
to read the language of their choice, in this case, Zulu, or if they can't see someone face to face. When
communication modes assume literacy or fluency in English, many people feel excluded. In particular, in
workshops, it is difficult to feel connected if all the participation is expected to happen in English. When
sighted people are giving a presentation, the blind will not feel connected unless the person can also
explain in words what is being pointed at. In this workshop, for example, it was suggested that each
person in the room introduce themselves so that the blind participants could identify them by voice
throughout the workshop.
Braille and sign language must be learned. Many people who are blind do not read Braille and many deaf
people do not understand Sign language; they do not feel connected when it is assumed that they do.
One participant mentioned that they felt most connected when they communicate with clients in Sign
language. People who use sign language to communicate need (a) to understand and (b) to be certain
that the person without the disability (e.g. Hearing person) understands what they're trying to
communicate using sign language. Similarly, for people with speech impediments or disabilities, they feel
connected when they know they are understood.

Some participants said that they felt most connected when they began to work with people with
disabilities. At one table, one participant said they felt most connected when they moved from the city to
a rural area, where there was a more natural environment, where people were kind, friendly, and knew
what was most important in life, while another participant said she felt most connected when she moved
from a rural area to the city, where there was more access to information, exposure to technology, and
more opportunities. She felt linked into an already developed system where communication was easy.
3.2. Respect
For the most part, people with disabilities do not feel connected with other members of society. They feel
unaccepted, for example when derogatory terms are used to refer to them. Some participants mentioned
that small gestures that indicate awareness and respect, such as a kind voice or assistance when
shopping, can help people with disabilities feel connected to other members of society. Many participants
mentioned that they feel most connected when they are around other people with disabilities. An ablebodied
participant also mentioned that this feeling of belonging related closely to connection. For her,
high school was a time when she felt most connected because teachers, friends valued her and she had
interactions with many different people at that time.
For one able-bodied participant, when she became responsible and financially independent for the first
time in her life was when she felt most connected. She was able to afford airtime, own a phone, pay for
her transport. A participant with a mobility disability at another table reported the same experience: The
day she first found employment was the day she felt most connected. She added that connection for her
depends on pro-activity – “if you can't reach something on a shelf, don't just sit there, ask for help!”
Several able-bodied participants who work either as social workers or in related roles with citizens with a
wide range of disabilities, including mental disabilities, said that giving time, attention, care, respect, or
access to those less able gave them a deeply satisfying feeling of connection.
Most people with disabilities have been socialised from young age to think they cannot achieve a lot,
which can lead to rebellion, stubbornness and aggressive communication. For example, If a person
stutters, which is a fluency disorder, it is important not complete the sentences for the person so that
they can try on their own and succeed. Stuttering itself is not a disability, it is an impairment but becomes
a disability when people start speaking for the person who is stuttering, which makes the person become
tense and they get trapped in a vicious cycle. For children, this pattern can deeply damage their sense of
value and self-respect. Feelings of self-respect and self-confidence relate closely to a feeling of
connection. Many people are also afraid to come forward with their disabilities, as they don't see how it
would help them to do so.
3.3. Technology
Cellphones, SMS, and e-mail have offered many participants the ability to feel connected with family and
places despite long distances. Emails, for example, allow people with speech impediments to
communicate more easily and more quickly than they can over a phone. Cellphone design, however, does
not take into account the needs of blind persons. Currently, loading airtime on a cellphone is difficult or
impossible for those who are blind or visually impaired. Reading SMS's is also not possible for many
people who are visually impaired, which excludes them from the major benefit that SMS's offer: the lower
cost. They have to ask for assistance to load airtime, read SMS's and perform other tasks on their phones,
which compromises their independence and privacy. Those cellphones that “talk” are very expensive so
most cannot afford to buy it.
The themes of cost and other barriers to access were discussed at many of the tables. Most agreed that
devices for the physically disabled are too expensive for most South Africans with physical disabilities,
especially those that live in rural areas, where electricity is not available and you must travel to town to
charge batteries, for example. There is also frequent network failure in rural areas, so people don't feel
connected there. Sometimes employers can provide devices such as voice synthesisers and Braille printers

ut these items are not affordable even for the working person at home or for rural people. Another
barrier to access mentioned is that many augmentative devices for people with disabilities are imported
from the U.S.. In many cases, funding may exist to cover the cost of the device, but rarely will it cover
the import costs. In many cases, this also means that the device operates only in English. In addition,
repair costs are high if the device breaks.
Lack of training was another barrier to access mentioned by many participants. For example, “step-bystep”
guides for learning computer skills or how to operate devices are often too complex for people with
disabilities and for older people. Fear that technology is impersonal, exclusive, or difficult creates a
negative attitude towards technology. Sharing the cost of technologies by having more than one person
use the same computer often results in the non-disabled people switching the disability settings off, and
then leaving the people with disabilities unable to correct the mode. One participant felt that overall there
is a lack of technology for people with disabilities and that if that person doesn't have the right
technologies they are not able to work, but other participants at the same table disagreed, they felt there
were a lot of technologies available for people with disabilities that are not too expensive, such as phone
loudspeakers (for the hearing impaired) and an SMS centre (for people with speech or hearing
impairments). They pointed out many technologies for people with disabilities that were previously
unknown to the first participant, such as screen enlargement and special keyboards for the visually
impaired as well as some software programs for the visually impaired that run on a Windows platform,
Windows Eyes, which allows you to edit scanned documents and is also great for sighted people, and
Kerzwell 2000. Both products have tutorials, up to an expert level. In addition, another participant found
that keyboard frames can help people with fine motor skill problems. According to another participant,
there is a new cellphone made especially for people with small movement disorders that guesses at words
and phrases as the user enters input.
3.4. Access
In order to feel connected everywhere, a person with disabilities must be able to use transportation,
withdraw and deposit money, enter and leave buildings safely, contact the police in an emergency, and
accomplish other tasks independently. They must be able to use a phone, for example, whether they are
at home, in a hotel, or in other public places. This means that hotel rooms must have features that
accommodate the disabled and public phones must be available, information, such as national directories,
must be in an accessible format. Some traffic lights have buzzer sounds that correspond to red or green
but these are very limited in only a few major cities. The public transportation industry currently does not
consider the needs of the disabled which makes it hard to find a job or seek to health services, for
example. There are no sign language interpreters for government departments, police stations, license
department, and banks, which results in the deaf feeling unconnected to these important departments.
Many participants mentioned that banks are a place where they don't feel connected: ATM's don't have
Braille, which means that blind persons cannot draw their money without the assistance of a seeing
person, which compromises their safety and privacy. There are some Talking ATM's, but again the issues
of security and privacy exist. Money (coins and paper bills) in this country should have Braille dots or
another way to identify their value, such as varying size. Even microwaves are not usable by a blind
person. This compromises a blind persons' ability to become independent.
During the focused discussion on feelings of connection, one group divided issues into Opportunities
(external) and Access Barriers (internal), where the five types of opportunities are:
• Policy: making augmentative devices available
• Practice: provide step-by-step guidelines based on common practices.
• Knowledge: knowing what people with disabilities need and providing local training on how
to use, maintain, and fix these devices
• Attitude: changing attitudes
• Access: awareness of what is available, language and literacy.

These issues are covered in more detail in the following section.
4. Action
What action can we each take to make sure South Africa's citizens with disabilities are fully integrated and
connected to society?
The second focused discussion question was designed to elicit strategies for change that each participant
could offer based on their own interests and skills. Participants across the small groups all agreed that
efforts should not end with the workshop but should carry on to future actions. During both the first and
second focused discussions, participants talked about potential solutions. It was noted that as long as
there is no financial support for people with disabilities, life will be difficult for people with disabilities and
they will remain mostly dis-empowered. However, as long as people with disabilities are not empowered,
it's going to be difficult to organise actions for change. Most agreed that the following co-ordinated
actions will lead to effective change:
• Educate
• Organise
• Involve
4.1. Educate
The overwhelming feeling at this workshop was the we must change people's minds and attitudes. We
must educate (1) the greater public to build awareness towards people with disabilities, (2) children with
disabilities to support their empowerment, and (3) adults with disabilities to alert and train them to use
available services and technologies. In all three education approaches, people with disabilities must be the
leaders and the teachers.
4.1.1. Build public awareness
Education is key to building public awareness for people with disabilities. The greater community will
greatly benefit if we change they way that all people think about people with disabilities, the way they
talk to and about people with disabilities, and the way they interact with people with disabilities. Only by
educating the greater community can people learn what terminology to use when talking to (or about)
people with disabilities, which is a very important issue tying into respect, power, and inclusion (e.g.,
“deaf and mute”, not “deaf and dumb”). One simple example offered on how to foster awareness is to
engage in physical demonstrations where a person with a disability takes people through some exercises
to show them how he or she walks, talks, and accomplishes other tasks despite the disability. In any case,
a person with a disability needs to be seen as a person of value and in some cases; you have to force
people to realise you are viable to the community.
People with disabilities and other members of the community would greatly benefit from knowing that
people with disabilities can lead “normal” and independent lives. Children with disabilities can play games
with other children. If society accommodates children and mothers with disabilities, they will be able to
participate in other organizations and activities like other people. Deaf people are isolated because most
people don't know how to sign. But Sign language could easily be included in the school curriculum for
children from grade 1 and up, just as other languages are.
The following report on the topic of disabilities in South Africa was recommended as an excellent overview
or introductory resource: Towards a Barrier-Free Society by the South Africa Human Rights Commission.
This book is available for download at:
www.capegateway.gov.za/Text/2004/11/towards_barrier_free_society.pdf
Social mobilisation and sensitisation programmes will ensure that the whole community is aware of what's

going on in the disability domain. Able-bodied community members may need some convincing: They
must clearly understand why the concerns of people with disabilities are concerns that impact their lives,
as well. Take a moment to think about what you would say in the following situation:
You: I am organizing an event for our community members who are disabled and would like your
support.
Unaware person: That sounds interesting, but what does that have to do with me?
You: _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Education about the different types of disabilities will breakdown common, harmful assumptions the skills
and needs of people with disabilities. One participant raised the question: In efforts to educate and
mobilise, how should different disabilities by prioritised, if at all? In later sections (4.2. Organise), the
importance of coordination across groups of all types of disabilities is discussed. However, perhaps social
mobilization efforts could focus on type of disability at a time, rotating the topic to cover all types on a
regular basis. Or such efforts could focus on those disabilities that are least visible or least understood
first.
Below are dates mentioned at the workshop for education and awareness initiatives.
• International Disability Day - 3 rd of December
• Mental Health Month - March
Ideas for raising awareness that were suggested:
• Targeted Awareness Campaign
• Interventions
• Sensitisation programmes
Included in the participants of this workshop is the coordinator for PADI, an organisation in
Pietermaritzburg that creates awareness for people with disabilities. Interested readers should contact this
organisation for more ideas on this topic.
4.1.2. Empower Children
Many participants talked about the importance of empowering children by instilling in them an “I can do”
attitude, teaching them to learn to fight for their rights, and to take advantages of the opportunities
available to them. It is not enough for parents of a child to secure a disability grant, the family learn how
to give the child the life skills they need to become an independent adult. For this reason, counselling and
education for disabled children must include the family. Educating to empower children will help children
understand their disability so that they can perform optimally both physically and psychologically.
Participants who work with children said it is important to remember that often the children know more
than you and can teach you. Also you must not put words in children's mouths, but rather exercise
patience and let them take their time when communicating their needs. Communication is an important
factor for children and there was a recommendation to be open and free to try different ways of
communicating with children with hearing disabilities, for example.
Many children with disabilities are not in school, as there are very few schools for the disabled. These
children grow up to become uneducated adults, which greatly limits their ability to function in society and
achieve independence. Children with disabilities need to learn Sign language, Braille, and other life skills.
Many children with disabilities only start looking for schools and education when they are 15 to 17 years

old. Although it is the parent's responsibility to ensure that a child gets special education, parents need a
means to access information on where special schools are located, for example. In some cases, because
tools for the disabled are expensive (Braille machines cost around R7000.) and are not subsidised by the
government, children in special schools may be taught Braille but have no access to a machine at home to
practice on.
4.1.3. Inform and train adults
Participants overwhelmingly agreed that there seems to be a lack of awareness about what is currently
available to people with disabilities. One participant who has 13 years of experience as an occupational
therapist in a rural area where they were a lot of blind people found that there was a very large need for
information. For 5 years now, she has been making “Resource Boxes” on disability awareness which
contain books, videos, and DVDs in English and a few other languages. There is a shortage of materials in
languages other than English. The materials focus on where special schools are available grants,
alcoholism, HIV, and Soul City books, which provide holistic information.
Fostering awareness of available services is an area where technology could play a role. An automated
telephony system, for example, could provide hours and contact information to local clinics special
schools, or NGOs, it could provide a listing of services available locally, or it could provide a means to
advertise and search for employment. It could also provide this information in all languages.
In addition to informing adults with disabilities about available assistance and technology, training is
needed to use these technologies. For example, the blind must be trained in order to learn Braille. Adults,
who become blind at an older age, due to diabetes or HIV, for example, tend to have more difficulties
learning Braille as opposed to younger children. The methods of teaching the blind and the partially blind
should be different. When computer lessons are given to the blind and the partially blind (e.g. how to use
JAWS) at the same time, and they are evaluated using the same methods and constrains (which is
traditionally the case), the partially blind do better than the totally blind. This can lead the blind to feeling
self pity and thinking they are more “stupid” than the others. Training the blind is often frustrating to
people who are computer literate, because the trainers do not understand why the blind don't “do as well
as the others”. One participant said she has witnessed both the tutors and the students having total
breakdowns on a number of occasions in these situations.
Training is required to operate devices and software. One participant has a Talking watch, which was
provided him by the National Council of Blind in Pretoria, and which required training to learn to operate.
Training is needed to teach people with mental disabilities how to use the phone. When teaching people
with disabilities, it was recommended to use pictures. Help files in software are not sufficient for teaching
a novice or disabled user; software for people with disabilities should provide adequate training, perhaps
with the use of tutorials. Many participants agreed that training is key and that often the trainers
themselves are not adequately trained. One participant of this workshop offers job placement and training
for the blind through the KwaZulu Natal Blind & Deaf Society in which they learn to get familiar with a
work environment (learning Braille and computers).
4.2. Organise
Most participants agreed that a coordinated effort across individual disability organisations in PMB is key
to affecting change in the lives of people with disabilities in that region. When individuals organise into
advocacy groups and advocacy groups organise into coalitions, they can solve many problems and put
pressure on the government:
• to change or enforce policy,
• to provide employment,
• to conduct further research on disabilities,
• And to provide much needed funding.

4.2.1. Join or start an advocacy group
As an individual, the first action to take is to join or start an advocacy group. This initial step will lead to:
• Involvement: You will realise that you are not alone.
• Self-confidence: You will realise your own value.
• Self-identity: You will learn to accept yourself.
• Integration: You will realise your power.
Also, as individuals we should begin to identify people with disabilities in our communities and to reach
out to them. Each individual can also cultivate patience, independence, a positive attitude, and a
willingness to share. One participant suggested we can each try to be Assertive Not Aggressive.
4.2.2. Change what you can
The participants at are workshop were each excellent examples of this action. For example as previously
mentioned, there is a lack of adequate education for adults with disabilities. One participant started a
school for the blind where blind adults can now go for education. The government now partially supports
this project and a program was aired last year on National TV about this project. This is one of many
success stories that happen when individuals decide to change what needs to be changed in their
communities and then follow that decision up with hard work, patience, determination, and support from
others. A job placement facility catering for the disabled needs to be made available. Two of the
participants want to start a resource centre that would make services available to people with disabilities
and help them with training and job placement. How can we support them in this project? Another
participant saw a great need for a special school for children with disabilities which she now runs out of
her own home.
Many participants felt that a database of the unemployed who are living with disabilities is needed to
facilitate job placement. It was suggested that the different organisations working with disabilities need to
maintain their own databases of people living with disabilities. If organisations can't help a person, they
need to be able to make referrals and then follow up with that person to make sure that they were able
to find the help requested. Perhaps advocacy groups could change this lack of information by identifying
(1) people with disabilities and (2) available resources in their communities. Once this data is collected by
advocacy groups, technologies such as the NAP portal could support networking and coordination across
advocacy groups so they can share knowledge and skills.
During the workshop, many participants asked questions (“Is stuttering a disability?”), listened to one
another and learned a lot about the many additional challenges in the lives of people with disabilities.
Another participant who is physically disabled admitted facing her own prejudices about people with
mental disabilities. One important thing that each of us has the power to change is our minds.
4.2.3. Coordinate across advocacy groups
The disabled community needs to rise up and shake the country through a united effort.
When various advocacy groups, NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and individuals organise,
they can solve many problems and put pressure on the government to create and enforce policy, provide
employment, lead research, and provide funding. Historically, this may not have been possible in South
Africa, but now the disability community can collectively put pressure on stakeholders in the government
to make changes in these areas. Some reported that currently the different NGOs (non-governmental
organisations) and NPOs (non-profit organisations) are often at odds with one another. Some suggestions
for coordination across advocacy groups include the creation of a national forum where the problems of
people with disabilities are addressed. Most participants agreed that more teamwork or an umbrella body
is needed from the disabled sector to focus on common goals.

One common goal across disability groups is to see more people with disabilities in positions of influence
and power, such as strategic positions, management positions, or technical positions of organizations.
Organisations that serve the disabled must include representatives who are disabled themselves. A
common problem discussed during the workshop that could be explored through coordinated action
across advocacy groups was unequal treatment depending on different types of disabilities. Disabilities
differ in degree of severity and type. Some people move from being able to being disabled, and although
they might not be able to use certain parts of their bodies anymore, they still have the skills and expertise
to do their jobs. Blind and deaf people often feel excluded. People with mental disabilities are excluded
when it comes to employment, for example, organisations that work in the mental disability sector are
finding it difficult to secure funding for ABET (Adult Based Education and Training). People with physical
disabilities are usually given preference in hiring.
Joint actions between the disabled and the able-bodied community will also improve the lives of both. It
was suggested that Meraka and their projects such as the collaborative website, the NAP portal, were a
good start in providing structure for a unified effort across different advocacy groups and for broadcasting
the voice of the disabled to the greater community.
Workshops like this one are also a start. One participant felt empowered by being in control of the
discussion and decisions at this workshop. A second participant felt this was helpful in networking,
communication, and would like to see more workshops of this type. Another simply said, “Today, I felt at
home.” An excellent suggestion for future workshops was to include representatives from government, for
example, from the Department of Arts and Culture (the funding agent for the Lwazi project), so that
government representatives can hear suggestions from the disabled community about subsidising
technologies and enforcing the Employment Act and then take action accordingly. During this workshop,
participants were strongly encouraged to change tables for the second focused discussion with the
purpose of allowing each participant to interact with as many other participants as possible. Some
participants would have preferred a format where they remained in the same small groups throughout the
day, developed specific action plans, and then presented them to the expertise of the larger group for
feedback.
4.2.4. Pressure Government
The government only cares about wheelchairs.
Policy: Most participants agreed that the government has a potentially powerful role in positively
affecting South African citizens with disabilities in their ability to achieve independence, find employment,
and participate fully in society. One effort of the government to serve citizens with disabilities is the
development of a Disability Strategy Policy (or Framework for Disability Policy). Unfortunately, the policies
for this framework were developed without consultation with the disabled community. Often, those who
represent the disabled at first stop representing the needs of their communities once they get into
positions of power. When policy is developed, policy makers must give the disabled a chance to think for
themselves instead of making decisions for them, without their input. Ideally, this input would come from
representatives from each of the different disabilities involved, because a person with one disability will
not necessarily understand the issues faced by a person with a another disability. Once policy is in place,
it must be enforced and government departments should lead by example. Currently, many government
buildings are not accessible to people with disabilities.
There is a need for a policy regarding basic sensitivity training on disabilities, especially for managers and
people trained by SETA. There is also a need for better treatment of staff who serves the disability
community, such as social workers, including more respect and more compensation for those with greater
experience.

Employment: The Employment Act (Act no 55) stipulates that the government provide 2% employment
to people with disabilities. Two of the participants at the workshop were from the Department of
Agriculture, where not only do they comply with the 2% stipulation; they are conducting a first pilot
project, where 100% of their team has some kind of disability. This team is trained to find and remove
invasive plants. Although the Employment Act is a start towards positive policy, it is not adequately
enforced and the issue of “reasonable accommodation” is used by potential employers to avoid
compliance. Some participants also felt that in many cases, there is a tendency to exploit the disabled, for
example managers using blind persons on projects without pay or taking advantage of people with
disabilities to procure funds. Many organisations respond to the Employment Act by hiring people with
“light” disabilities, hiring a blind person or a physically disabled person, to try to reduce the Total Cost of
Employment. Instead, there should be a special budget for the disabled in each department.
The unemployment ratio of people with disabilities is very high, so they are very dependent on grants.
What is needed in the disability community is capacity building and training to increase their
independence and representation in technical positions, top management, and other influential positions.
Many participants commented that people living with disabilities generally work harder than those
without, because they need to prove themselves, but often they are not given the chance.
Funding: The government needs to allocate resources to people with disabilities for their education, their
activities, and for the purchase of augmentative devices and technologies. The Department of Health
should provide funding for special cellphones and other devices, but according to some of the
participants, they currently only fund people who need wheelchairs. The government could provide
further education opportunities to literate people with disabilities. As previously discussed, employers have
little incentive to employ disabled people because the technology they need to assist them is expensive.
The government must in addition to policy such as the Employment Act, allocate funding for the purchase
of augmentative technologies. It was suggested that the Department of Arts and Culture solicit additional
funds for projects for people living with disabilities in other departments of the government as well.
Research: It was recommended that more time and finances be spent by the government on research
on disability, in particular, on how to include more people with disabilities in their planning and policy
making. Research and development like the work going on at Meraka should also continue to be
supported. Fostering awareness about disabilities, one of the major goals discussed previously (section
4.1.1.) depends on accurate statistics. Most participants agreed that there are no accurate statistics on
disability. For example, according to some statistics, 6% of SA population is severely disabled, but many
children are not counted in these statistics. Through the disability grant systems, many statistics about
people living with disabilities could be collected for health, demographic, and technology research, for the
development of better services, capacity building, and employment.
4.3. Involve
How will you understand my needs if you don't involve me or discuss my needs with me?
4.3.1. Guidelines for technology design
Just as government should include people with disabilities in their policy making, research, and statistics
gathering, so should technology developers involve people with disabilities in their design cycle. This is
true not only for the development of devices and software that specifically target people with disabilities,
but for those intended for all South Africans. When designing technologies, we must seek out people with
disabilities to learn from them, we must include people with disabilities in focus groups when researching
technology designed for the general public, and when it comes to designing augmentative technologies,
people with disabilities must be involved in the design and hired in influential positions. People who are
likely to use devices should be trained on their operation and maintenance right from the start if the goal
is truly to improve the lives of these people. Researchers and designers should include training as a major

part of their plan for technology development, and not let it fall by the wayside to meet deadlines. In the
same way that government must be pressured to ensure adherence to its own policies, perhaps the UN
(United Nations) charter could be used to pressure the technology community to adhere to the guidelines
of involvement of the disabled community and accessibility addressed in this report.
This workshop offered the Meraka team a chance to hear directly from people with disabilities and other
participants who work in the disability sector. Many participants were glad to see the technologies under
development at Meraka that cater to a wide variety of needs. There was both excitement and scepticism
about available augmentative technologies and the role that technology could play in assisting people with
disabilities to achieve independence and meet other needs. Participants provided some the Meraka team
some general guidelines for technology development. For example, people do not prioritise access to
technology; rather they prioritise access to a benefit or resource, so it makes more sense to think about
enabling access to a benefit rather than access to a technology. Training is needed to get people
interested and using technology. Technology and training for technology must keep in mind senior
citizens and the conditions of rural areas, where CD's and DVD's are more feasible than books, computers
are impractical, and there is often no electricity to charge a cellphone. More technologies and devices for
people with disabilities, such as GPS (Global Positioning Systems) devices for the blind, are available in
other countries. As previously mentioned, one draws back to importing technology and devices from the
U.S. are that the cost of importation is high and not covered by most sources of funding. Another problem
is that it makes repairs very difficult. It was recommended that more South African based equipment
manufacturing is needed.
4.3.2. Technology for the disabled community
During this workshop, a number of specific suggestions for technology design were provided by
participants. One idea that was suggested often was Braille-enabled ATM machines. For deaf people, a
computer could use visual signals (flashing lights) instead of warning sounds to signify changes in modes
or problems. Participants wanted to explore alternative sources of power (non-electric) for laptops for use
in rural areas. There was a recommendation to develop a tool to help children communicate using a
variety of methods. The deaf would greatly benefit from more sign language on television broadcasting.
Subtitles in English are not as preferred as many citizens do not speak English.
As for cellphones, more Braille functionalities should be incorporated in their design and in the design of
airtime cards. Another recommendation was to keep technology simple, as in the case of a “panic button”
on a cellphone, for example. Such buttons for cellphones could achieve a goal with a minimum effort for
the visually disabled. A cellphone service that provided emergency information, like what to do if someone
is having an epileptic seizure, would also be of great use. One participant runs a home for people with
disabilities where they are highly independent and are employed, but they do not know where to get
information and services. The list of events that is included on the NAP portal would be very useful if it
was accessible over the phone.
4.3.3. Feedback on Meraka Technologies
For most participants, the workshop was their first occasion to learn about the NAP portal. Some
participants felt it was a good start and that is a need for broadcasting available services and events but
that not everyone can access a website and so they felt distant from its services and technology. It was
recommended that the NAP Project should try to undertake more site visits in order to get community
buy-in. They also recommended that Meraka undertake an investigation on why the Internet is not
available, accessible or tolerated by people with disabilities. Some ideas suggested had to with a need for
security and reassurance when using the Internet, which can seem impersonal and where it is difficult to
tell who is communicating.
Meraka team members would like to see the use of HLT (Human Language Technologies) in disability
devices and in assisting the community in education and networking. The proposed technologies would

support local languages which might help overcome some of the challenges of information dissemination
and coordination. HLT could support capacity building if used to develop tutorials and interactive training
materials. But another participant pointed out that technology always targets the urban population,
therefore require power sources, and she urged that the priority be placed on including rural areas in
technology solutions, presumably to design technologies with those constraints in mind, which everyone
might then benefit from. Participants regretted not having time at this workshop to explicitly address
these issues of rural inclusion and come up with action plans, for example, using solar power for charging
cellphones.

CONVERSATION PROCESS
Focused Discussions – Table Host
Round 1: FROM PODIUM
• Begin with a moment of silence
• This is a time for individual contributions.
• The host begins this round by:
1. Picking up the talking piece
2. Introducing themselves and responding to the question in one or two sentences
3. Passing the talking piece to the next person
• As each person speaks, the rest will deeply listen, without comment.
Round 2: AFTER THE COMPLETION OF ROUND 1
TABLE HOSTS PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
• This is a time for deepening the conversation.
• Again we will use the talking piece and invite individual contributions.
• Take about 2-3 minutes to share more deeply your own thoughts or to share a comment or
question
• about something you may have heard during the first round.
• As each person speaks, the rest will deeply listen, without comment.
ROUND 3: AFTER THE COMPLETION OF ROUND 2
TABLE HOSTS PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
• This is a time for interactive conversation “spirited dialogue”
• You may expand on your own thoughts, respond to what you’ve heard from others, or
express curiosity about something you’ve heard by asking a question…
• The talking piece will rest in the centre; if you feel the conversation is moving too quickly,
and you would like a chance to contribute, you can tap the talking piece or indicate to your
table in some other way that you would like to be next.
This round will end at 11:40.
ROUND 4: INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FINAL ROUND WILL BE PROVIDED FROM THE PODIUM.
QUESTION 1:
As a citizen with disabilities, when have you felt most connected?
QUESTION 2:
What joint action can we each take to make sure South Africa's citizens with disabilities are fully
integrated and connected to society?
Please take notes on major insights and thoughts from your conversation.
THE AGREEMENTS
• We invite participation
• We Listen…with respect
• We’re Curious
• We Invite Diversity
• We are Sincere

• We Honour the Wisdom.
• We are Brief
Welcome (15 minutes)
1. Process Overview
Focused Discussion - Facilitator
• We’ll be using a simple process that we will model as we go along.
• It includes 4 rounds of conversation. Before each round either I or your table host will
remind you of the process for that round.
• The beginning and closing rounds are a time for individual contributions. This allows
everyone to be heard.
• The middle round we call “Spirited Dialogue”. This is where most of our conversation will
happen. We’re interacting with one another in a lively exchange of ideas.
• We’ll use a “talking piece”. Today we’ll use the table host's mobile phone as a talking piece.
Whoever is holding the talking piece should have our full attention while they speak. There
is no interruption or cross talk.
• Your table host may jot down some insights from the conversation.
2. Agreements
• The set of agreements that I’m about to share with you provide the foundation for our
conversation. By sharing our intention of how we agree to conduct dialogue we create safety
and hospitality. This helps move our conversation into one of deep sharing and listening.
• We invite participation. Feel free to pass.
• We Listen…with respect: Most of the time in a circle we’ll spend listening. We practice
listening with an open mind and with genuine respect for the speaker.
• We’re Curious: We seek to understand rather than persuade.
• We Invite Diversity and honour all points of view.
• We are Sincere: speaking what has personal heart and meaning.
• We Honour the Wisdom within each individual. We don’t try to fix advice or counsel one
another.
• We are Brief: We go for honesty and depth, but we don’t go on and on. We try to stay
under a few minutes so we have time to hear from everyone.
• Are we all OK with these agreements?
• Are there any other agreements that would make you feel more comfortable?
• Part of the responsibility of the table hosts is to help the group uphold these agreements. To
do this job, they may have to interrupt, much as they hate to, to remind us of these
agreements. We hope you’ll understand.
3. Questions
o The questions we’ll be considering and talking about today are:
QUESTION 1:
As a citizen with disabilities, when have you felt most connected?
QUESTION 2:
What joint action can we each take to make sure South Africa's citizens with disabilities are

fully integrated and connected to society?
4. Guidelines/Host Comments for Rounds
We will begin with some silence to reflect on this question.
a. Round 1: (10 minutes)
• This is a time for individual contributions. While one person speaks, the rest will deeply
listen, with no comments, cross-talk or questions.
• Your table host will begin this round by picking up the talking piece, introducing them and
in a sentence or two, sharing their initial thoughts or reaction to our question.
• They will then pass the talking piece when they have finished sharing.
• Simply pass the talking piece if you do not wish to share.
• When everyone has shared their initial thoughts and reactions, the table host will begin
round 2. Table hosts, please begin.
NOTE TIME START ______
b. Round 2: (15 minutes)
• This is a time for deepening the conversation.
• Again we will use the talking piece and invite individual contributions.
• Take about 2-3 minutes to share more deeply your own thoughts or to share a comment or
question about something you may have heard during the first round.
We should all be moving towards finishing round 2 to leave a lot of time for the interactive conversation
of round 3, if you haven't already begun.
c. Round 3: (30 minutes)
• This round is the heart of the conversation; it’s interactive.
• You may expand on your own thoughts, respond to what you’ve heard from others, or
express curiosity about something you’ve heard by asking a question…
• The talking piece will rest in the centre; if you feel the conversation is moving too quickly, or
you would like a chance to contribute, simply tap the talking piece to let others know…you
will be next
Let's move towards finishing this round so that we can leave enough time for everyone to make
contributions in the final round. Whoever is currently talking goes ahead and finishes your thoughts, and
then we will all conclude.
(2 minutes to spare)
d. Round 4: (10 minutes)
• This is our closing round.
• We’ll begin with some silence to allow us to reflect on our conversation.
• Then we’ll individually contribute a sentence or two about what each of us is taking away
from our experience—the process, the content of the conversation, or both. You are also
welcome to share any last thoughts that would contribute to bringing the conversation to a
satisfying close.
• The table host can jot down these last thoughts on the cards provided to share with the rest
of the room later.
• We’ll use the talking piece as we did in the first two rounds.
• Simply pass the talking piece if you do not wish to share.

• Let's spend some time in silent reflection now. (30 sec)
• Table hosts, please begin the final round.
5. Closing Comments (for the group as a whole)
• Now we must conclude.
• Can we hear from each of the tables about some ideas and thoughts that were sparked
during your conversation?
• Thank you for participating.

Appendix 19 Connecting South Africans with Disabilities:
Workshop Report (isiZulu)
Okuqukethwe
1. Isendlalelo
1.1 Izinhloso
1.2 Isimo seShabu
Ishabhu le-Lwazi
Ukuhlanganisa AbaseNingizimu Afrika Abakhubazekile
Kuhanjiswa
Ngezobuchwepheshe Bolimi Lwabantu
UDkt. Madelaine Plauché
U-Aditi Sharma
U-Olga Martirosian
U-Victor Zimu
&
Umnyango (Iphothali) Yokufinyelela Kuzwelonke
U-Shela Boshomane
U-Gugu Khalala
Umcimbi:
3 Mashi, 2008
Umbiko:
28 Mashi, 2008
2. Ezobuchwepheshe zabantu abanokukhubazeka
3. Ukuhlanganisa
3.1 Ukuxhumana
3.2 nhlonipho
3.3 Ezobuchwepheshe
3.4 Ukufinyelela

4. Isenzo
4.1 Fundisa
4.1.1 Yakha Ukulumukela Komphakathi
4.1.2 Nikeza Izingane Amandla Okwenza
4.1.3 Yazisa bese Uqeqesha Abadala
4.2 Hlela
4.2.1 Ngena noma Uqale Iqembu Lobummeli/Lokukhulumela Abanye
4.2.2 Guqula Ongakwazi Ukukuguqula
4.2.3 Qondanisa ngokuphambana Kwamaqembu Obumeli
4.2.4 Phoqelela Uhulumeni Ngokumcindezela
4.3 Bandakanya
4.3.1 Imihlahlandlela Yesifanekiso Sezobuchwepheshe
4.3.2 Ubuchwepheshe Bomphakathi Wabakhubazekile
4.3.3 Ukwazisa Ngobuchwepheshe be-Meraka
Isijobelelo A: Ingxoxo Eqondisiwe – Amazwi Alotshiwe Etafula Labamukela Izihambeli
IsijobeleloB: Ingxoxo Eqondisiwe – Amazwi alotshiwe Omlungiseleli
1. Isendlalelo
Abacwaningi abavela emaqenjini amabili abacwaningi, Ezobuchwepheshe Bolimi Lwabantu i-Human
Language Technologies (i-HLT) kanye Nesango Lokufinyelela Kuzwelonke i-National Accessibility Portal
(NAP), evela ku-Meraka Institute Ebandleni Lokucwaninga NgeSayensi Nemisebenzi i-Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research (CSIR) lenza ishabhu yosuku olulodwa ngomhla ka-Mashi 3, 2008 Esikhungwini
Sezinkomfa se-Msunduzi Hospice ese-200 Zwartkop Road, Prestbury, e-Pietermaritzburg njengengxenye
ye-Phrojekthi ye-Lwazi. Iphrojekthi ye-Lwazi uhlelo locwaningo oluxhaswa ngezimali Ngumnyango
Wezobuciko Namasiko (i- Department of Arts and Culture) ukunikezela izinsizakalo zempilo
ezizenzakalelayo kanye nezikahulumeni ngocingo kusetshenziswa ubuchwepheshe benkulumo nolimi, loku
yizinto ezifana nokukhunjulwa kwenkulumo nokuhlelwa kwemiqondo yenkulumo kuzo zonke izilimi
eziyishumi nanye ezisemthethweni eNingizimu Afrika. Ababambiqhaza eshibhini kwakungamalungu
asebenza ngokubonakalayo bezinhlobo ezahlukile zezinhlangano zabantu abakhubazekile bezindawo
zaseThekwini, eHowick nase-Pietermartizburg. Ababambiqhaza babefaka futhi izakhamuzi ezikhubazekile
kanye nabaqashi, abasizi bomuntu uqobo kanye namalungu emindeni yezakhamuzi ezinokukhubazeka.
1.1. Izinhloso
Ishabhu lenziwa laba nezinhloso ezintathu:
• ukuvumela abacwaningi be-i-HLT kanye nabe-NAP ukuthi bazizwele ngokwabo kulabo
abangaba ngabasizi bezinhlelo
• ezesekwe ocingweni ezinikezela ngolwazi lwezempilo nolukahulumeni, kulesi sehlakalo
oluvela kuzakhamuzi zaseNingizimu Afrika ezinokukhubazeka,
• ukubonisa iphrojektha Yesango Lokufinyelela Kuzwelonke kanye nobuchwepheshe bolimi
LwaseNingizimu Afrika,
• ukuqinisa ukuxhumana ngaphakathi kwababambiqhaza beshabhu abasebenzayo

1.2. Isimo Seshabhu
nabazibandakanye emizamweni ehambisanayo endaweni yase-Pietermaritzburg.
Ishabhu laliqukethe imisebenzi emibili esemqoka: izingxoxo eziqondisiwe kanye nemiboniso
yobuchwepheshe.
Izingxoxo Eziqondisiwe
Izingxoxo ezimbili eziqondisiwe ezadingidwa (Bheka isijopbelelo- A), enye yayisekuseni kwathi enye yaba
ngamadina. Ngenkathi ingxoxo ngayinye eqondisiwe iqhubeka, ababambiqhaza bahlala ematafuleni
abantu aba-5 ukuya kwabayi-7 etafuleni ngalinye. Itafula ngalinye “lalinomamukeli zihambeli wetafula”
owayesiza ngokuhambisa iziwombe ezi-4 zengxoxo, ukusuka kumibono yomuntu oyedwa ukuya
ekuguqukeni kokunikezana imibono okuphilayo. Umbuzo wawubuzwa ukuhlahla indlela yokuxoxisana.
Ngesikhathi sasekuseni, umbuzo owadingidwa eqenjini ngalinye elincane kwakuyilona:
(Njengesakhamuzi esinokukhubazeka,) kukunini lapho wazizwa uxhumene/uhlangene
kakhulu kabi?
Lo mbuzo wawenzelwa ukuphakamisa izincazelo eziningi ezahlukile zegama “ukuxhumana” kanye
nokugqugquzela abantu ukuthi bakhulume ngolwazi ngempilo zomuntu uqobo lwakhe, Esikhathini
samadina, ababambiqhaza bahlelwa baba ngamaqembu ahlukile amancane ukuze baxoxe ngenqubekela
phambi yalesi zingxoxo:
Yisiphi isenzo umuntu ngamunye angasenza ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izakhamuzi zaseningizimu
Afrika ezinokukhubazeka zihlanganiswa ngokuphelele fiuthi zixhunyaniswa nomphakathi?
Emuva kwesiwombe ezi-4 zengxoxo, umamukeli wabahambeli etafuleni ovela eqenjini ngalinye elincane
wakwazi ukwabelana ngezindikimba ezisemqoka kanye nemibono namanye amaqembu amancane.
Inqubo yamukelwa ngoba yayithinta ubuhlakani bomuntu ngamunye futhi ivumela nokuthi omunye
umuntu afunde komunye. Lena yinqubo esetshenziswa emhlabeni wonke jikelele kohulumeni,
emabhizinisini angenzi nzuzo, kanye nasezindaweni zokungqubuzana okuncane ukuze kwakheke
ukuqondisisana okunzulu ngaphakathi kwabantu. Umphumela yiqoqo lezidingo kanye nolwazi lwezempilo
olungahlahla abacwaningi, abakhwishizi, kanye namalungu omndeni ukwakha izinxazululo bese behlelela
inguquko.
Iziboniso Zobuchwepheshe
Iziteshi ezine zobuchwepheshe ezahlelelwa ukuvumela ababambiqhaza ukuthi babheke ngokukhululeka
imiboniso yezobuchwepheshe efanele okumanje ithuthukiswa e-Meraka Institute. Iqembu
Lezobuchwepheshe Bolimi Lwabantu lamema ababambiqhaza ukuthi bazibandakanye
• Nocingo Oluvulekile(i-OpenPhone): Okuwucingo Olusheshayo Lwezempilo Jikelele
Labanikezela Ngokunakekela Ezinganeni
• ezine-AIDS
• Nomboniso Wokujova Izingane we-Lwazi Nomboniso Wokufunda Ulimi
• Ukuhlelwa kwemiqondo ukusuka Emazwini Alotshiwe ukuya Enkulumweni kwesiBhunu,
isiZulu kanye NesiNgisi saseMelika
Esiteshini sesine, iphrojektha Yesango Lokufinyelela Kuzwelonke yabonisa imiboniso
• Yesango le-NAP, Ukuphendula Kwezwi Okusebenzisanayo kwe-NAP (i-NAP Interactive Voice
Response (IVR), kanye ne GNAPP.
Okokuthatha amanoti kanye namaphosta Endawo Yokuhlala Evumelayo nako kwakwenziwe imibukiso.

Participants:
Poovie Prunes Naidoo Chetty Pietermaritzburg Association for Mental Persons Health with Physical
mhsworkshops@xsinet.co.za
Disabilities
133 Cnr Loop New Street, Holme PMB & Olympia Way,
Tasmia Dayaram Association Northdale, for PMB Physically Challenged
Gugu Ndlovu (APC Department ), Pietermaritzburg of Agriculture and
apcpmb1@telkomsa.net
Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu Natal
Alex Dlamini Department ndlovug@dae.kzntl.gov.za
of Agriculture and
Lucky Ndwandwe Environmental KwaZulu Natal Affairs Blind in KwaZulu & Deaf Society, Natal
dlaminia@dae.kzntl.org.za
Durban
Mvunseni Gumede Albinism Rehab.nbds@telkomsa.net 031 309 4991 fax 031 309 3048
14833 23 Lorne Po Box Street Stanger Durban 4450
Thandi Sandie Ntombela
Isaacs PADI Inkanyiso Pietermaritzburg Day Care Centre for Disabled
37 Children Walthew square, Lower greyling St.,
Pietermaritzburg P. O. Box 922, 3201 Howick 3290
Corrine Yvette Isaacs Pillay 95 Arthur Peach Blaxall Road, Woodland, School
Pietermaritzburg
blaxall@futurenet.co.za
3201
Archie Roberts
Sarah Johnston
Disability Research and Training
Health Services
eduarch@mweb.co.za
eduarch@mweb.co.za
117 Sweetwaters Road, Boughton
Sithembiso Sibiya
Swazi Khuboni
Barbara Watt
Robert L. Kluge
Pretty Zondi
Phindile Luswazi
117 KZN Sweetwaters Department Road, of Helath Boughton
DPSA
sithembiso.sibiya2@kznhealth.gov.za 073 88 5008/ 072 805 6317
128 Pine Street, PMB 3200
African Enterprise Pietermaritzburg
Masibumbane HIV/AIDS Mission
dart@sai.co.za
rlk@futurenet.co.za
12 Millar Street, HOWICK 3290
Po BOX 637, Hilton 3245
Association for Physically Challenged
KwaZulu Natal Blind & Deaf Society,
(APC ), Pietermaritzburg
Durban
11 New England Road, Scottsville 3201
Bongi Zuma
Linda Maphanga
CREATE
Ethembeni School
create3@telkomsa.net
maphangale@telkomsa.net
35 Hyslop Road, PMB, 3201
Fax 033 387 6070
Pam McLaren
Abahleli
Shela Boshomane
Gugu
Mncedisi
Khalala
Mdunyelwa
Olga Martirosian
Madelaine Plauche
Aditi Sharma
Disability Action Research Team (DART)
Meraka Institute (CSIR)
dart@sai.co.za
12
sboshomane@csir.co.za
Millar Street, Howick 3290
KZN
gkhalala@csir.co.za
Department of Helath
mncedisi.mdunyelwa@kznhealth.gov.za
omartirosian@csir.co.za
121
mplauche@csir.co.za
Chief Albert Luthuli Street,
Pietermaritzburg, asharma1@csir.co.za 3201
Victor Joel Mlaba Zimu
Department vzimu@csir.co.za of Agriculture and
Indawo Okwakubanjelwe Environmental Kuyo Ishabhu Affairs in KwaZulu Natal
Trevor Clowes mlabaj@dae.kzntl.gov.za
Msunduzi Hospice Association
Cynthia Mnikathi KwaZulu trevor@hospicekzn.co.za Natal Blind & Deaf Society 086 688 6549
cynthiamnikathi@webmail.co.za
P O Box 22023, Mayorswalk, 3208
PO Box 512, Luxmi 3207

2. Ezobuchwepheshe Zabantu Abanokukhubazeka
ULinda Maphanga, onguthisha esikoleni i-Ethembeni, wavula ishabhu ngokukhuluma ngendlela
ezobuchwepheshe ezithelele impilo yakhe ngayo njengoba engumuntu ongaboni emehlweni. Ngokombono
wakhe wathola ukuthi izingcingo ezingomakhalekhukhwini nezingcingo zasezindlini azenzelwanga ukuthi
zisetshenziswe kalula ngabantu abakhubazekile. Ukukhala kwazi neminye imisindo yomakhalekhukhwini
akwenzi mqondo kumuntu oyimpumputhe. Uhlu lukazwelonke lwezinombolo Zezingcingo zakwa-Telkom
alukwazi ukufinyeleleka ngoba alitholakali ngeBreyili (Braille), nazo izinombolo zokusheshayo
azinikezwanga nge-Breyili. Loku kusho ukuthi nasesimweni esisheshayo, umuntu oyimpumputhe kumele
alinde umuntu obonayo ukuthi azomsiza, loku kubeka obala nezinto zabo eziyimfihlo, noma kumele
basebenzise izinsizakalo zohlelo lwezinombolo lwe-1023, okuwukuthi esikhathini esiningi bamiswa
ocingweni isikhathi eside. Waphakamisa ukuthi isici esingasiza abakhubazekile kungaba “yinkinobho
yokuphaphazela”, ezoshayela abangane osondelene nabo noma umndeni, noma “ikhiye esheshayo”, ebiza
amaphoyisa noma izinombolo ezisheshayo.
Izinkokhelo zezobuchwepheshe kanye nezinye izivimbo zokufinyelela ebantwini abakhubazekile
kwakuyindikimba esemqoka ekuhlaziyeni kuka-Linda Maphanga ngokusebenza ngempumelelo ukwenza
ngcono izindawo ezithile ezimpilweni zabantu. Inkomfa yevidiyo engaphezu kocingo, okuwubuchwepheshe
babantu abayizithulu, ibiza kakhulu kabi. Izinhlelo zokulula kwamakhompyutha zokufunda zaba
yizimpumputhe zibiza kakhulu futhi zikwazi ukufunda isiNgisi kuphela, ngakho-ke azibasizi abangebona
abakhuluma isiNgisi. Abantu abahlala emaphandleni, lapho kaningi kungekho khona ugesi, abakwazi
ukusebenzisa amakhompyutha futhi abakwazi ukutshaja omakhalekhukhwini. Ukuba yimfihlo kanye
nesithunzi yiyona minako emikhulu okumele ibhekwe uma kwakhiwa ezobuchwepheshe zabantu
abanokukhubazeka. Izinkampani ezenza ezobuchwepheshe zabantu abanokukhubazeka aziboni imakethe
enkulu ngakho-ke abazingenisi ekwenziweni kokwejwayeza okukhulu. Kukhona ubufakazi obuningi
ukuphakamisa ukuthi ezobuchwepheshe zabantu abakhubazekile kwakhiwa bese kusetshenziswa
njengomqondo oza ngemuva.
3. Ukuhlanganisa
Umbuzo- 1: Njengesakhamuzi esikhubazekileyo kukunini lapho uke wazizwa uhlanganiswe kakhulu kabi?
Umbuzo wengxoxo yokuqala eqondisiwe wawakhelwe ukuthola incazelo yomuntu ngamunye yegama elithi
ukuhlanganisa. Ulwazi ngempilo lwababambiqhaza ukuphambana ngamaqembu amancane lwabonisa
ukuthi umuzwa wokuxhumana ukhuliswa ukusebenzisa:
3.1 Ukuxhumana
3.2 Ukuhlonipha
3.3 Ezobuchwepheshe
3.4 Ukufinyelela
3.1. Ukuxhumana
Ababambiqhaza abazizwa behlangene uma bengaluqondi ulimi olukhulunywayo, uma okuthambili
kwekhompyutha kungakwazi ukufunda ulimi abalukhethayo, okuyisiZulu lapha, noma uma bengakwazi
ukubona umuntu ubuso nobuso. Uma izimo zokuxhumana ziqalisa ilitheresi noma ukukhuluma isiNgisi
ngokukhululeka, abantu abaningi bazizwa beshiyeka ngaphandle kuloku. Ikakhulukazi kumashabhu, kuba
nzima ukuzizwa uhlangene uma kuzolindeleka ukuthi konke ukubamba iqhaza kwenziwe ngesiNgisi. Uma
abantu ababonayo bethula inkulumo/isifundo, abayizimpumputhe abazizwa behlangene ngaphandle uma
lowo muntu ezochaza ngamagama loko okukhonjwayo. Isibonelo, ukthi kuleli shabhu, kuye
kwaphakanyiswqa ukuthi umuntu ngamunye endlini azazise ngokwakhe ukuzi ababambiqhaza abangaboni
bazokwazi ukubakhumbula ngamazwi abo kuze kuphele ishabhu.
IBreyili Nolimi Lwezimpawu(i-Sign Language) kumele kufundwe. Abantu abaningi abayizimpumputhe
abafundi iBreyili kanti nabantu abaningi abayizithulu abaluqondi Ulimi Lwezimpawu; abazizwa

enokuxhumana uma kucatshangwa ukuthi bayakwenza loko. Oyedwa wababambiqhaza uthe bazizwa
bexhumene kakhulu uma bekhuluma namaklayenti Ngolimi Lwezimpawu. Abantu basebenzisa ulimi
lwezimpawu ukuxhumana badinga (a) ukuqonda kanye (b) nokuqiniseka ukuthi umuntu ongenako
ukukhubazeka (isib. Umuntu ozwayo) uyaqonda ukuthi bazama ukuxhumana naye ngokusebenzisa ulimi
lwezimpawu. Ngokufanayoo nabantu abanokukhubazeka noma ukuhluleka ukukhuluma, bazizwa
benokuxhumana uma bazi ukuthi kuyaqondwa abakushoyo.
Abanye ababambiqhaza bathi bazizwa benokuxhumana ngenkathi beqala ukusebenza nabantu
abanokukhubazeka. Etafuleni elilodwa, umbambiqhaza oyedwa wathi bazizwe benokuxhumana kakhulu
uma besuka endaweni yasemadolobheni beya kweyasemaphandleni, lapho kwakukhona khona indawo
yokuhlala engeyemvelo ngokwayo, lapho abantu babenomusa, benobungane futhi bazi ukuthi yini
esemqoka empilweni, kanti omunye umbambiqhaza yena wathi wazizwa enokuxhumana ngenkathi esuka
endaweni yasemaphandleni eya emadolobheni, lapho kwakukhona ukufinyelela olwazini okwengeziwe,
ukuvela obala kwezobuchwepheshe kanye namathuba amaningi. Wazizwa ehlangana eba wuhlelo
oluthuthukisiwe lapho ukuxhumana kwakulula.
3.2. Hlonipha
Ezingxenyeni eziningi, abantu abanokukhubazeka abazizwi bexhumene namanye amalungu omphakathi.
Bazizwa bengamukelekile, isibonelo uma amagama ayindelelo asetshenziswa ukuqondisa kubo. Abanye
ababambiqhaza basho ukuthi iziboniso ezincane ezibonisa ukuqapha nokuhlonipha, okufana nezwi
elinomusa noma ukusizwa uma uthenga, kungasiza abantu abanokukhubazeka bazizwe bexhumene
namanye amalungu omphakathi. Ababambiqhaza abaningi basho ukuthi bazizwa bexhumene kakhulu uma
behleli ngaphakathi kwabanye abantu abakhubazekile. Umbambiqhaza owayengakhubazekile naye washo
ukuthi imizwa yakhe yokuba nabanye okuhambisana nokuxhumana okusondelene. Kuyena, isikole
esiphakeme kwakuyisikhathi ayezizwa exhumene ngaso ngoba othisha, abangane babemthathela phezulu
futhi wayenokuxhumana nabantu abahlukile abaningi ngaleso sikhathi.
Komunye umbambiqhaza ongenako ukukhubazeka, ngenkathi eba nesibopho nokuzimela ngokwezimali
okokuqala empilweni yakhe wazizwa enokuxhumana. Wayekwazi ukuthenga i-airtime, abe nocingo
olungolwakhe, akhokhele imali yakhe yokuhamba. Umbambiqhaza owayenokukhubazeka kokuhamba
kwelinye itafula wabika ulwazi ngempilo olufana nalolo: Usuku lokuqala athola ngalo umsebenzi
kwakuwusuku azizwa exhumene kakhulu ngalo. Wangeza ngokuthi ukuxhumana kuye kweyeme
emsebenzini wangaphambilini(i-pro-activity) – “uma ungakwazi ukufinyelela okuthile kusheluvu, ungahlali
nje, cela usizo!” Ababambiqhaza abambalwa abangakhubazekile abasebenza njengabasebenzi
bezenhlalonhle noma kumagunya ahlobene naloku kuzakhamuzi ezinokukhubazeka okuhlukile, okufaka
ukukhubazeka kwengqondo, okusho isikhathi esinikeziwe, ukuqaphela, ukunakekela, ukuhlonipha, noma
ukufinyelela kulabo abanikezwe kancane babanikeza umuzwa onzulu wokuxhumana okumelisayo.
Abantu abaningi abanokukhubazeka bakhuliswa ukusukela eminyakeni yobusha babo ukuthi bacabange
ukuthi abakwazi ukufinyelela okuningi, okungaholela ekuxhumaneni okuhlubukayo, okunenkani
nokunobudlova. Isibonelo, Uma umuntu engingiza, okungukukhubazeka kokungakwazi ukukhuluma
ngokukhululeka, kusemqoka ukuthi ungayiqedeli imisho yaloyo muntu ukuze bazizamele bese
baphumelele. Ukungingiza ngokwako akukona ukukhubazeka, ukuthikamezeka nje kodwa kuba
ukukhubazeka uma abantu beqala bekhulumela umuntu ongingizayo, okwenza ukuthi loyo muntu ethuke
bese bebambeka enkingeni yokungakwazi ukuqhubeka nenkulumo. Ezinganeni, lolu hlelo lungalimaza
imizwa yabo yokuyigugu kanye nokuzihlonipha. Imizwa yokuzihlonipha nokuziqhenya kuhambisana
ngokusondelene nomuzwa wokuxhumana. Abantu abaningi bayesaba futhi ukuza ngaphambili
ngokukhubazeka kwabo, ngoba ababoni ukuthi kuzobasiza kanjani ukuthi benze njalo.
3.3. Ezobuchwepheshe
Omakhalekhukhwini, ama-SMS, kanye ne-i-meyili kunikeze ababambiqhaza ikhono lokuzizwa bexhumene
nemindeni kanye nezindawo okungenzeka zibe yibanga elikude. Ama-i-meyili ngokwesibonelo, avumela

abantu abanokukhubazeka ngokukhuluma ukuba baxhumane kalula kanye nangokushesha ngaphezu
kwaloko okwakwenzeka ocingweni. Izifanekiso zomakhalekhukhwini kodwa azizikhathaleli izidingo zabantu
abayizimpumputhe. Esikhathini samanje ukufaka i-airtime kumakhalekhukhwini kunzima noma akukwazeki
nhlobo kulabo abayizimpumputhe noma abanokukhubazeka kokubona. Ukufunda ama-SMS nako
kuyinkinga ebantwini abaningi abakhubazeke emehlweni, loku kubashiya ngaphandle kuzinzuzo
ezisemqoka zeminikelo ye-SMS: okuyizindleko eziphansi. Kumele bacele usizo lokufaka i-airtime, ukufunda
ama-SMS kanye nokwenza eminye imisebenzi ezingcingweni zabo, loku kungqubuzana nokuzimela kwabo
nokuba yimfihlo. Labo makhalekhukhwini “abakhulumayo” babiza kakhulu ngaloko abaningi abakwazi
ukuyithenga.
Izindikimba zezindleko nezinye izivimbezelo zokufinyelela kwaxoxiswana ngazo ematafuleni amaningi.
Abaningi bavumelana ngokuthi izikhali ezisetshenziswayo zabantu abakhubazekile zibiza kakhulu
kwabaseNingizimu Afrika abakhubazekile, ikakhulukazi labo abahlala emaphandleni, isibonelo, lapho
kungekho khona ugesi futhi kumele uye edolobheni ukuyoshaja amabhethri. Kukhona futhi njalo
ukulahlekelwa ngumphambo ezindaweni ezisemaphandleni, ngakhoke abantu bazizwa bengaxhumene
lapho. Kwesinye isikhathi abaqashi bayakwazi ukunikeza izikhali ezifana nama-voice synthesisers kanye
namaphrinta eBreyili kodwa lezi zinto azifinyeleleki nakulabo abasebenzayo ekhaya noma ebantwini
abasemaphandleni. Esinye isivimbezelo sokufinyelela esashiwo ukuthi eziningi izisetshenziswa ezinkulu
zabantu abakhubazekile zingeniswa ezweni zivela e-U.S. Ezehlakalweni eziningi, ukuxhaswa ngezimali
kungaba khona ukwengamela izinkokhelo zesisetshenziswa, kodwa akukaningi lapho kwengamela
izindleko zokungenisa ezweni. Ezehlakalweni eziningi, loku kusho futhi ukuthi isisetshenziswa sisebenza
kuphela ngesiNgisi. Ukwengeza kuloku, izindleko zokulungisa isisetshenziswa ziphezulu uma
isisetshenziswa siphuka.
Ukungabi nokuqeqeshwa okufanele kwakungenye yezivimbezelo zokufinyelela ezashiwo ngababambiqhaza
abaningi. Isibonelo, amagayidi okufunda amakhono ekhompyutha“ebanga ngebanga” noma okubonisa
ukuthi izikhali zisetshenziswa kanjani ngoba zilukhuni kakhulu ebantwini abakhubazekile nabadala.
Ukwesaba ukuthi ezobuchwepheshe azinabuntu, azifaki wonke umuntu noma zilukhuni kwakha isimo esibi
maqondana nezobuchwepheshe. Ukwabelana ngezindleko zobuchwepheshe ngokwenza ukuthi umuntu
ongaphezu koyedwa asebenzise ikhompyutha eyodwa esikhathini esiningi kuba nenkinga yokuthi umuntu
ongakhubazekile aguqulele ikhompyutha esimweni esijwayelekile bese eshiya umuntu okhubazekile
ehluleka ukulungisa isimo leso. Umbambiqhaza oyedwa yena wayebona nje kungekho ubuchwepheshe
jikelele babantu abakhubazekile kanye nokuthi uma loyo muntu engenazo ezobuchwepheshe ezifanele
akakwazi ukusebenza kodwa abanye ababambiqhaza kulelo tafula baphikisana naye, bathola ukuthi
kukhona ezobuchwepheshe eziningi zabantu abakhubazekile ezingabizi kakhulu, ezifana
nokokukhulumela phezulu kocingo (kwabantu abanokukhubazeka kokuzwa) kanye Nesikhungo se-SMS
(sabantu abanokukhubazeka kwenkulumo nokuzwa kahle). Babonisa ezobuchwepheshe eziningi zabantu
abanokukhubazeka ezazingaziwa esikhathini esedlule kubabambiqhaza bokuqala, obufana nokukhuliswa
kwesikrini kanye namakhibhodi akhethekile wabantu abakhubazeke emehlweni kanye nezinhlelo
ezithambile zekhompyutha zabantu abakhubazeke emehlweni ezisebenza kuplatifomu ye-Windows, naku-
Windows Eyes, okukuvumela ukuba ulungise amaphutha emibhalweni ehunyuziwe futhi loku kulungele
futhi nabantu ababonayo, kanye ne-Kerzwell 2000. Yomibili imikhiqizo inezincwajana, zokufinyelela
ezingeni lompetha. Ukwengeza, omunye umbambiqhaza wathola ukuthi izinhlaka zekhibhodi zingasiza
abantu ngezinkinga zamakhono okusebenza komzimba womuntu acolisekile. Ukuya ngomunye
wababambiqhaza, kukhona umakhalekhukhwini omusha owenzelwe abantu abanokukhubazeka
kokushukuma kancane okuqagela amagama nemishwana ngenkathi umsebenzisi efaka okuthile.
3.4. Ukufinyelela
Ukuze uzizwe uxhumene yonke indawo, umuntu onokukhubazeka kumele akwazi ukusebenzisa izithuthi,
azikhiphele aphinde adiphozithe imali, angene aphinde aphume emabhilidini ngokuphepha, axhumane
namaphoyisa ezimweni ezisheshayo, bese enza eminye imisebenzi ngokuzimeleyo. Kumele bakwazi
ukusebenzisa ucingo, isibonelo, noma ngabe basekhaya, ehhotela noma ezindaweni zomphakathi. Loku
kusho ukuthi izindlu zasemahhotela kumele zibe nezici ezifanele abantu abakhubazekile futhi kumele kube

nezingcingo zomphakathi, ulwazi olufana nohlu lwezingcingo lukazwelonke, kumele zibe ngesimo
ezingakwazi ukufinyelelwa. Ezinye izibani zethilefiki zinemisindo ebhazayo ezihambisana nobubomvu
nobuluhlaza kodwa lezi ziyindlazana emadolobheni ambalwa asemqoka. Imisebenzi yezithuthi
zomphakathi okwamanje ayibhekeli izidingo zabakhubazekile ezenza ukuthi kube nzima ukuthola
umsebenzi noma ukuthola izinsizakalo zezempilo ngokwesibonelo. Abekho abatoliki bolimi lwezimpawu
beminyango kahulumeni, iziteshi zamaphoyisa, iminyango yamalayisense, kanye namabhange okwenza
ukuthi abantu abangezwa bazizwe bengaxhumene nale minyango esemqoka.
Ababambiqhaza abaningi basho ukuthi emabhange kulapho bezizwa bengaxhumene: ama-ATM awanayo
iBreyili, okusho ukuthi abantu abayizimpumputhe abakwazi ukudonsa imali yabo ngaphandle kosizo
lomuntu obonayo, loku kubabeka esimweni esibucayi ngokuphathelene nokuphepha nokuba yimfihlo.
Kukhona ama-ATM Akhulumayo, kodwa noma kunjalo udaba oluphathelene nokuphepha nokuyimfihlo
luhlala lukhona. Imali (izinhlamvu nemali engamaphepha) kuleli lizwe kumele libe namadoti eBreyili noma
enye indlela yokwazisa inani lawo, okufana nokuhlukanisa ngobukhulu. Ama-microwaves nawo awakwazi
ukusetshenziswa ngumuntu oyimpumputhe. Loku kubeka abantu abangaboni esimweni esibucayi sokuthi
bazimele.
Ngesikhathi sezingxoxo eziqondile ngemizwa yokuxhumana, elinye iqembu lahlukanisa izindaba
ngaphakathi kwezihloko Zamathuba (angaphandle) kanye Nezivimbezelo Zokufinyelela (ngaphakathi),
lapho izinhlobo ezinhlanu zamathuba :
• Inqubomgomo: ukwenza izisetshenziswa ezinkulu ukuthi zibe khona
• Ukuqeqesha: ukunikeza imihlahlandlela yesigaba ngesigaba weseka ngokwenziwayo
okujwayelekile.
• Ulwazi: ukwazi ukuthi abantu abanokukhubazeka badingani bese unikeza ukuqeqeshwa
kwasendaweni lokuthi ungasebenzisa kanjani, ugcine, bese ulungisa lezi zisetshenziswa
• Esimo: ukuguquka kwezimo
• Okufinyelela: ukuqapha okukhona, ulimi kanye nelitheresi.
Lezi zindaba zidingidwa ngokugcwele esigabeni esilandelayo.
4. Isenzo
Yisiphi isenzo esingathathwa ngumuntu ngamunye ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izakhamuzi zaseningizimu Afrika
ezikhubazekile zihlanganiswa ngokuphelele nangokuxhunywa emphakathini?
Umbuzo wesibili wengxoxo eqondile wawakhelwe ukwakha amasu okuguqula ayenganikezwa
ngumbambiqhaza ngamunye eseka ngokunaka namakhono abo. Ababambiqhaza ukuphambana
emaqenjini amancane bavumelana ukuthi imizamo akumele iphele neshabhu kodwa kumele liqhubekele
ezenzweni zesikhathi esizayo. Ngesikhathi sezingxoxo eziqondile zombili zokuqala nezesibili,
ababambiqhaza bakhuluma ngezinxazululo ezingabakhona. Kuye kwaqashelwa ukuthi uma nje kungekho
ukwesekwa ngezezimali kwabantu abakhubazekile, impilo izawuba nzima ebantwini abakhubazekile futhi
bazohlala njalo benganikeziwe amandla. Kodwa, uma nje abantu abanokukhubazeka benganikezwa
amandla, kuzokuba nzima ukuhlela izenzo zokuguqula. Abaningi bavumelana ukuthi izenzo
ezilunganiswayo ezilandelayo zizakusiholela enguqukweni eyimpumelelo:
4.1 Fundisa
4.2 Hlela
4.3 Bandakanya
4.1. Fundisa
Umuzwa omkhulu owawusemoyeni kuleli shabhu kwakuwukuthi kumele siguqule imiqondo nezimo
zabantu. Kumele sifundise (1) umphakathi ngobukhulu bawo ukwakha ukunaka maqondana nabantu
abanokukhubazeka, (2) izingane ezinokukhubazeka ukweseka ukunikezwa kwazo amandla kanye (3)

nabadala abanokukhubazeka ukubaqaphelisa ngokubaqeqesha ukuba basebenzise izinsizakalo
nobuchwepheshe obukhona. Kuzo zontathu izinqubo zemfundo, abantu abanokukhubazeka kumele babe
ngabaholi futhi babe ngothisha.
4.1.1. Yakha Ukunaka Komphakathi
Imfundo iyinto esemqoka yokwakha ukuqapha komphakathi okumaqondana nabantu abanokukhubazeka.
Umphakathi ngobukhulu bawo uzozuza kakhulu uma siguqula indlela bonke abantu abacabanga ngayo
ngabantu abanokukhubazeka, indlela abakhuluma ngayo nabantu abakhubazekile, kanye nangendlela
abenzelana ngayo nabantu abanokukhubazeka.. Kungokufundisa umphakathi ngobukhulu bawo lapho
abantu bafunda khona ukuthi yimaphi amagama okumele bawasebenzise uma bekhuluma nabantu
abanokukhubazeka noma (uma bekhuluma ngabo), lolu udaba olusemqoka kakhulu oluhambisana
nenhlonipho, amandla kanye nokufakwa nabanye abantu (isib., “ongezwa nongakhulumiyo”, hhayi
ongezwa noyisithulu”). Isibonelo esisodwa esilula esinikeziwe sokuthi kungenziwa kanjani ukuqaphelisa
ukuzibandakanya ezibonakalisweni zokwenziwa ngomzimba lapho umuntu onokukhubazeka nezisa abantu
abathile izindlela zokuziqeqesha ababonise ukuthi uhamba kanjani, ukhuluma kanjani, nokuthi uyenza
kanjani eminye imisebenzi nanoma enokukhubazeka. Ngakunoma uyiliphi icala, umuntu onokukhubazeka
kumele abonakale njengomuntu onokuyigugu kanti ngakwezinye izehlakalo, kumele uphoqelele abantu
ukuba babone ukuthi usemqoka emphakathini.
Abantu abanokukhubazeka kanye namanye amalungu omphakathi bazothola inzuzo kakhulu ekwazini
ukuthi abantu abanokukhubazeka bangakwazi ukuphila impilo “ejwayelekile” kanye babakwazi ukuzimela
kuyo. Izingane ezinokukhubazeka zingadlala imidlalo nezinye izingane. Uma umphakathi unendawo
yokuphila yezingane nabomama abanokukhubazeka, bazokwazi ukubamba iqhaza kwezinye izinhlangano
nakweminye imisebenzi njengabanye abantu. Abantu abangezwa bayabandlululwa ngoba abantu abaningi
abakwazi ukwenza uphawu. Kodwa Ulimi Lokuphawula lungafakwa kalula ohlelweni lwezifundo esikoleni
ezinganeni ezisebangeni loku-1 ukuya phezulu, njengoba kwenzeka ngezinye izilimi.
Umbiko olandelayo ngesihloko sokukhubazeka eNingizimu Afrika saphakanyiswa njengencazelo jikelele
noma umthombo wokungenisa othi: Maqondana Nomphakathi Ongenazo Izihibe(i-Towards a Barrier-Free
Society) Yekhomishini Yamalungelo Esintu aseNingizimu Afrika. Le ncwadi iyatholakala ukuthi uyiphrinte
lapha:
www.capegateway.gov.za/Text/2004/11/towards_barrier_free_society.pdf
Umvivo wezenhlalonhle kanye nezinhlelo zokwazisa zizokuqinisekisa ukuthi umphakathi wonke uyaqaphela
ukuthi yini kwenzakalani endaweni yabakhubazekileyo. Amalungu omphakathi angenako ukukhubazeka
azodinga ukuba enziwe ukuthi akukholwe okushiwoyo: Kumele baqondisise ngokucacile ukuthi kungani
abantu abakhubazekile banokunaka okuphinde kuthelela izimpilo zabo futhi. Thatha isikhashana
ucabange ngaloko owawuzokusho esimweni esilandelayo:
Wena: Ngihlela umcimbi wamalungu omphakathi wethu okhubazekile futhi ngicela ukwesekwa kwakho.
Umuntu ongaqapheli: Loku kuzwakala kumnandi kodwa loku kuhambisana kanjani nami?
Wena: _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Imfundo maqondana nezinhlobo ezehlukile zokukhubazeka izawususa amakhono nezidingo zabantu
abakhubazekile ezijwayelekile nezibulalayo. Oyedwa wabambiqhaza waphakamisa umbuzo othi :
Emizamweni yokufundisa nokuvivisa, kumele ukukhubazeka okwehlukile kuhlukaniswe kanjani ngokuba
semqoka, uma kufanele? Ezigabeni ezilandelayo (4.2. Hlela), ubumqoka bokuqondanisa ukuphambanisa
amaqembu azo zonke izinhlobo zabakhubazekile kwaxoxwa ngako. Kodwa, mhlawumbe imizamo yomvivo
wezenhlalonhle ungaqondiswa kuzinhlobo zokukhubazeka ngesikhathi esithile, kuzungeleziswa isihloko
ukuze sengamele zonke izinhlobo ngezikhathi ezehlukile njalo nje. Noma imizamo enje ingaqondiswa

kuqala kuloko kukhubazeka okubonakala kancane noma okuqondwa kancane kakhulu.
Ngezansi yizinsuku ezashiwo eshibhini zezinto eziqaliswayo zokuqaphelisa nezemfundo.
• Usuku Lwamazwe Ngamazwe Lwabakhubazekile – 3 ku-Disemba
• Inyanga Yezempilo Yezengqondo - Mashi
Imibono yokuqaphelisa eye yaphakanyiswa:
• Isu Lokuqaphelisa Elinomgomo
• Imilamulo
• Izinhlelo Zokwazisa
Abafakiwe kulaba bambiqhaza beshabhu ngumqondanisi we-PADI, okuyinhlangano yase-Pietermaritzburg
eyakha ukuqaphela kwabantu abanokukhubazeka. Abafundi abanokunaka kumele baxhumane nale
nhlangano uma befuna imibono eyengeziwe ngalesi sihloko.
4.1.2. Nikeza Izingane Amandla Okwenza Izinto
Ababambiqhaza abaningi bakhuluma ngobumqoka bokunikeza izingane amandla ngokuzithelela umoya
wesimo sokuthi “Mina ngingakwazi ukwenza”, sibafundise ukulwela amalungelo abo, kanye nokuthatha
amathuba avelelayo bawasebenzise. Akwanele ukuthi abazali bengane bamtholele isabelo sokukhubazeka,
umndeni ufunda ukuthi ungayinikeza kanjani ingane amakhono ezempilo abawadingayo ukuba ngabantu
abadala abakwazi ukuzimela. Ngalesi sizathu, ukwelulekwa kanye nemfundo yezingane ezikhubazekile
kumele zifake umndeni. Imfundo yokunikeza izingane amandla izosiza izingane ukuthi ziqonde
ukukhubazeka kwazo ukuze zikwazi ukusebenzisa ngokuphelele ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo.
Ababambiqhaza abasebenza ngezingane bathi kusemqoka ukukhumbula ukuthi izingane zazi okuningi
ukukwedlula futhi zingakufundisa okuthile. Futhi akumele ufake amagama emilonyeni yezingane
(ungazikhulumeli), kodwa zifundise ukuba nesineke ubavumele ukuba bathathe esabo isikhathi
ukukhuluma ngezidingo zabo. Ukuxhumana/ukukhuluma kuwuphawu olusemqoka ezinganeni futhi
bekukhona isiphakamiso esivulekile nesikhululekile sokuzama izindlela ezehlukile zokuxhumana nezingane
ezinokukhubazeka kokuzwa, isibonelo.
Izingane eziningi ezinokukhubazeka azikho esikoleni, ngoba zimbalwa kakhulu izikole zabakhubazekile.
Lezi zingane ziyakhula zibe ngabadala abangafundile, loku kukhawula amakhono abo okusebenza
emphakathini ukuthi bafinyelele ukuzimela. Izingane ezinokukhubazeka zidinga ukufunda Ulimi
Lwezimpawu, i-Breyili kanye namanye amakhono ezempilo. Izingane eziningi ezinokukhubazeka ziqalisa
kuphela ukufuna imfundo nokufuna izikole ezingafunda kuzo uma sezineminyaka yobudala eyi-15 noma
eyi-17. Nanoma kuyisibopho somzali ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ingane ithola imfundo ekhethekile,
ngokwesibonelo, abazali badinga usizo lokufinyelela ulwazi lokuthi lezo zikole ezikhethekile zikuphi.
Kwezinye izehlakalo, ngoba amathuluzi abakhubazekile abiza kakhulu (Imishini ye-Breyili ibiza cishe ama-
R7000.) futhi awaxhaswa ngezimali nguhulumeni, izingane ezisezikoleni ezikhethekile zingafundiswa i-
Breyili kodwa azikwazi ukufinyelela imishini emakhaya ukuze ziziqeqeshe.
4.1.3. Yazisa Bese Uqeqesha Abantu Abadala
Ababambiqhaza bavumelana ngomoya omuhle ukuthi kukhona ukungabikhona kokuqaphela ngokuthi yini
okukhona okungasetshenziswa ngabantu abanokukhubazeka. Omunye wabambiqhaza onolwazi
ngezemisebenzi yezokusiza kweminyaka eyi-13 endaweni yasemaphandleni lapho kwakukhona abantu
abayizimpumputhe abaningi futhi kukhona isidingo esikhulu solwazi. Imiyaka emi-5 manje akade enza
ngawo “Amabhokisi Ayimithombo” ngokuqaphela kwezokukhubazeka okuqukethe izincwadi, amavidiyo,
nama-DVD angesingisi kanye nezinye izilimi ezimbalwa. Kukhona ukuntuleka kwemibhalo yezilimi
ngaphandle kwesiNgisi. Imibhalo iqondiswe ekutheni lezi zikole ezikhethekile zikuphi, izabelo ezikhona,
isifo sotshwala, i-HIV, kanye nezincwadi ze-Soul City, olunikeza ulwazi oluphelele.

Ukufaka ukuqashelwa kwezinsizakalo ezikhona wumkhakha lapho ezobuchwepheshe ezingabamba igunya
khona. Uhlelo lwezingcingo zangokuzenzakalayo, isibonelo, kunganikeza amahora kanye nemininingwane
yokuxhumana emitholampilo ekhethekile, izikole ezikhethekile, noma ama-NGO, inganikeza uhlu
lwezinsizakalo zendawo olukhona, noma inganikeza okuthile kokukhangisa nokufuna umsebenzi. Loku
kunganikeza ulwazi ngazo zonke izilimi.
Ukwengeza ekwaziseni abadala abanokukhubazeka ngolwazi lokusiza nezobuchwepheshe
obungabakhona, ukuqeqeshwa kuyadingeka ukusebenzisa lobu buchwepheshe. Isibonelo, abangaboni
kumele baqeqeshwe ukuze bafunde i-Breyili. Abantu abadala ababa yizimpumputhe eminyakeni yobudala,
ngenxa yedayibhethisi noma i-HIV, isibonelo, uye abe nobunzima obukhulu ekufundeni i-Breyili uma
kuqhathaniswa nezingane ezincane. Izindlela zokufundisa abangaboni nababona kancane kumele yehluke.
Uma izifundo zekhompyutha zinikezwa kwabangaboni nababona kancane (isib. ungawasebenzisa kanjani
ama-JAWS) ngesikhathi esifanayo, futhi bayahlolwa kusetshenziswa izindlela nezihibe (okuyilesi sehlakalo
ezikhathini zamasiko) ezifanayo, abantu ababona kancane benza kangcono kunalabo abangaboni nhlobo.
Loku kungaholela ekutheni abantu abangaboni bazizwe bezinyeza becabanga ukuthi “bayizilima”
kunabanye. Ukuqeqesha abangaboni kunzima ebanwini abakwazi ukusebenzisa ikhompyutha, ngoba
abaqeqeshi abaqondi ukuthi kungani abantu abangaboni bangakwazi “ukwenza njengabanye”. Oyedwa
wababambiqhaza wathi ufakazele bobabili abafundisi kanye nezitshudeni ezinokumoshakala okuphelele
ezehlakalweni ezimbalwa ezikulezi zimo.
Ukuqeqeshwa kuyadingeka ukusebenzisa izikhali zokusebenzisa kanye nokuthambile kwekhompyutha.
Umbambiqhaza oyedwa unewashi Elikhulumayo, olunikezwe kuye Yibandla Labangaboni Likazwelonke e-
Pitoli, futhi oludinga ukuqeqeshwa ukufunda ukusebenzisa. Ukuqeqeshwa yisidingo sokufundisa abantu
abanokukhubazeka kwengqondo kokuthi ungalusebenzisa kanjani ucingo. Uma ufundisa abantu
abanokukhubazeka, kuphakanyiswe ukuthi kusetshenziswe izithombe. Amafayili okusiza okuthambile
kwekhompyutha awanele ukufundisa imfundamakhwela noma umsebenzisi okhubazekile; okuthambile
kwekhompyutha kwabantu abakhubazekile kumele kunikeze ukuqeqesha okwanele, mhlawumbe
ngokusetshenziswa kwamaphepha okufundisa. Ababambiqhaza abaningi bavuma ukuthi ukuqeqeshwa
kusemqoka nokuthi kwesinye isikhathi abaqeqeshi ngokwabo abaqeqeshwe ngokufanele. Oyedwa
wababambiqhaza waleli shabhu unikeza ukufakwa emsebenzini nokuqeqeshwa kwabangaboni
Emphakathini Wabangaboni Nabangezwa KwaZulu Natali lapho abazifundisa ukuzijwayeza indawo
yokusebenzela (ukufunda i-Breyili kanye namakhompyutha).
4.2. Hlela
Ababambiqhaza abaningi bavumelana ngokuthi imizamo eqondanisiwe ukuphambanisa izinhlangano
ngazinye zabakhubazekile e-PMB zisemqoka ekuletheni inguquko ezimpilweni zabantu abanokukhubazeka
kuleso sifundazwe. Uma abantu ngabanye bezihlela baba ngamaqembu obummeli bese amaqembu
obummeli azihlela abe wubuhlanganyeli, angakwazi ukuxazulula izinkinga eziningi bese ecindezela
uhulumeni :
• ukuthi aguquke noma aphoqelele inqubumgomo,
• ukunikeza amathuba emisebenzi,
• ukuqhubeka nokwenza ucwaningo oluphathelene nokukhubazeka,
• kanye nokunikeza ukuxhaswa ngezimali okudingeka kakhulu.
4.2.1. Ngenela noma Uqalise iqembu Lobumeli/Lokukhulumela Abanye
Njengomuntu nje, isenzo sokuqala okumele usenze ukungena noma ukuqalisa iqembu lobummeli. Lesi
sinyathelo sokuqala sizakuholela:
Ukuzibandakanya: Uzokwazi ukubona ukuthi awuwedwa.
Ukuzithemba: Uzokwazi ukubona okuyigugu ngawe.
Ukuzazi: Uzokwazi ukuvumela into oyiyo.

Ukuhlanganisa: Uzokwazi ukuzwa amandla akho.
Okunye, njengabantu ngabanye kumele siqale ukukhomba abantu abanokukhubazeka emiphakathini
yethu bese sifinyelela kuwo. Umuntu ngamunye angakha ukuba nesineke, ukuzimela, isimo esihle kanye
nokufuna ukwabelana. Umbambiqhaza oyedwa waphakamisa ukuthi singazama Ukuphikelela hhayi
Ukuhlasela.
4.2.2. Guqula Loko Ongakwazi Ukukuguqula
Ababambiqhaza ngabanye eshabhini babeyisibonelo ezinhle kakhulu zalesi senzo. Isibonelo yinjengoba
kushiwo esikhathini esedlule, kukhona ukuntuleka kwemfundo efanele yabantu abadala
abanokukhubazeka. Umbambiqhaza oyedwa waqala isikole sabangaboni lapho abadala abangaboni
bangakwazi ukuyothola imfundo. Uhulumeni manje uyayeseka ngokuyingxenye le phrojekthi futhi uhlelo
lwaboniswa emoyeni ngale phrojekthi ngonyaka odlule ku-TV Kazwelonke. Lena ngeyodwa yezindaba
eziningi eziyimpumelelo ezenzakalayo uma umuntu oyedwa ethatha isinqumo sokuguqula okumele
kuguqulwe emiphakathini yabo bese elandela leso sinqumo ngokusebenza ngokukhuthala, ngesineke,
ngokuzimisela, nangokwesekwa ngabanye. Isenzo sokufaka emsebenzini esibhekela abakhubazekile
kumele senziwe ukuthi sibe khona. Ababili bababambiqhaza bafuna ukuqalisa isikhungo semithombo
esizokwenza abantu abakhubazekile bakwazi ukuthola izinsizakalo bese abasize ngokuqeqeshwa kanye
nokufakwa emsebenzini. Singabeseka kanjani kule phrojekthi? Omunye umbambiqhaza wabona isidingo
esikhulu sesikole ezikhethekile sezingane ezinokukhubazeka okumanje asenzela endlini yakhe.
Ababambiqhaza abaningi babona kunesidingo sokuthi kube nenqolobane yemininingwane(i-database)
yabantu abangaqashiwe abaphila ngokukhubazeka ukuze kusheshiswe ukufakwa emisebenzini.
Kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi izinhlangano ezehlukile ezisebenza nabakhubazekile kumele zigcine izinqolobane
zazo zemininingwane zabantu abaphila nokukhubazeka. Uma ngabe izinhlangano zingakwazi ukusiza
umuntu, kumele zikwazi ukwenza ukuthunyelwa bese bekulandelisa ngalowo muntu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi
bakwazile ukuthola usizo abalucelile. Mhlawumbe amaqembu obummeli angaguqula lokungabi khona
kolwazi ngokubonisa (1) abantu abanokukhubazeka kanye (2) nemithombo ekhona emiphakathini yabo.
Emva kokuba le mininingwane isiqoqwe ngamaqembu obummeli, ezobuchwepheshe ezifana nesango le-
NAP, zingakwazi ukweseka imiphambo kanye nokuqondisana ukuphambanisa amaqembu obummeli ukuze
bakwazi ukwabelana ngolwazi namakhono.
Ngesikhathi seshabhu, ababambiqhaza baningi babuza Imibuzo (“Kungabe ukungingiza
kungukukhubazeka?”), balalelana bafunda okuningi ngezinye izinselele ezengeziwe ezimpilweni zabantu
abanokukhubazeka. Omunye umbambiqhaza okhubazekile emzimbeni wavuma ukuthi wabhekana
nokubandlulula kwakhe maqondana nabantu abanokukhubazeka kwengqondo. Into eyodwa esemqoka
yomuntu ngamunye kithi ukuthi sinamandla okuguqula imicabango yethu.
4.2.3. Qondanisa Ngokuphambana kwamaqembu Obummeli
Umphakathi wabakhubazekile udinga ukukhuluma ulwe uzamazise izwe ngokusebenzisa imizamo
ebumbene.
Uma amaqembu obummeli ahlukene, ama-NGO (izinhlangano ezingezona ezikahulumeni) kanye
nokuhlelwa kwabantu ngabanye, bangaxazulula izinkinga eziningi bese bephoqelela uhulumeni ukwakha
nokuphoqelela inqubomgomo, banikeze amathuba emisebenzi, bahole ucwaningo, bese benikeza
nokuxhaswa ngezimali. Ngokomlando, loku kwakungasoze kwenzeka eNingizimu Afrika, kodwa manje
umphakathi wabakhubazekile ungakwazi ukufaka ukuphoqelela kubahlanganyeli kuHulumeni ukwenza
izinguquko kulezi zindawo. Abanye babika ukuthi esikhathini samanje ama-NGO (izinhlangano
okungezona ezikahulumeni) ahlukile kanye nama-NPO (izinhlangano ezingenzio nzuzo) zizithola
zisemacaleni ahlukile kwezinye. Ezinye iziphakamiso zokuqondanisa ukuphambanisa amaqembu kufaka
ukwakhiwa kweforamu kazwelonke lapho okuzobhekwana khona nezinkinga zabantu abanokukhubazeka.

Ababambiqhaza abaningi bavumelana ukuthi ukusebenza ngamaqembu okwengeziwe noma inhlangano
eyisambulela iyadingeka esigabeni sabakhubazekile ukuqondisa kulezi zinjongo ezifanayo.
Injongo eyodwa efanayo ukuphambanisa wonke amaqembu akhubazekile ukubona abantu abaningi
abakhubazekile besezinkhundleni ezinokuthelela namandla ezifana nezikhundla ezethula amasu, izikhundla
zokuphatha noma izikhundla zokukagesi zezinhlangano. Izinhlangano ezisiza abakhubazekile kumele
zifake abameleli abakhubazekile ngokwabo. Inkinga ejwayelekile okuxoxwe ngayo ngesikhathi seshabhu
engabhekwa ngesenzo sokuqondisa ukuphambanisa amaqembu obummeli kwakuwukwenziwa
okungalingani kuye ngezinhlobo ezahlukile zokukhubazeka. Ukukhubazika kuhluka ngamazinga
nezinhlobo. Abanye abantu basuka ekwazini ukwenza babe ngabakhubazekile, futhi nanoma bengakwazi
ukusebenzisa ezinye izitho zabo zomzimba futhi, kodwa basenawo amakhono nobuciko bokwenza
imisebenzi yabo. Abangaboni nabangezwa ezikhathini esiningi bazizwa besele ngaphandle. Abantu
abanokukhubazeka kwengqondo bashiywa ngaphandle uma kufika isikhathi sokuqashwa, isibonelo,
izinhlangano ezisebenza esigabeni sokukhubazeka ngengqondo baba nobunzima bokuthola imali
yokuxhaswa ku-ABET (Imfundo Nokuqeqeshwa Esekwe Kwabadala). Abantu abanokukhubazeka
komzimba esikhathini esiningi banikezwa ukukhethwa ekuqashweni.
Izenzo ezihlanganisiwe ngaphakathi kwabakhubazekile kanye nemiphakathi enemizimba
engenakukhubazeka nako kuzokwenza ngcono izimpilo zabo bobabili. Kuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi i-
Meraka kanye namaphrojekthi abo kanye newebhusayidi yokuhlanganyela, nesango le-NAP, kwakuyisiqalo
esihle sokunikeza isakhiwo semizamo ebumbene ukuphambanisa amaqembu obummeli kanye nokusakaza
izwi labakhubazekile emphakathini ngobukhulu bawo.
Amashabhu afana nalena nawo awukuqalisa. Umbambiqhaza oyedwa wazizwa enamandla ngokukwazi
ukuphatha izingxoxo nezinqumo kuleli shabhu. Umbambiqhaza wesibili wezwa loku kumsiza emphambeni,
ekuxhumaneni, futhi wayethanda ukubona amashabhu amaningi anje. Omunye wavela nje wathi,
“namuhla, ngizizwe ngisekhaya.” Isiphakamiso esihle kakhulu ngokuphathelene namashabhu azayo
kwakuwukufaka abameleli abavela kuHulumeni, isibonelo, abavela Emnyangweni Wezamaciko Namasiko
(okuyi-ejenti exhasa iphrojekthi i-Lwazi ngezimali), ukuze abameleli bakahulumeni bazokuzwa
iziphakamiso ezivela emiphakathini ekhubazekile ngokuphathelene nokuxhaswa ngezimali
kwezobuchwepheshe kanye nokuphoqelela Umthetho Wezokuqashwa bese benza ngokufanelekile.
Ngesikhathi saleli shabhu, ababambiqhaza bagqugquzelwa kakhulu kabi ukuba bashintshe amatafula
ekuxoxisaneni okuqondile kwesibili ngenhloso yokuvumela umbambiqhaza ngamunye ukuba asebenzisane
nababambiqhaza abanye ngobuningi babo ngokuphumelelekayo. Abanye ababambiqhaza kungenzeka
ukuthi babezokhetha isimo lapho babezohlala emaqenjini amancane afanayo usuku lonke, bathuthukisa
izinhlelo ezithile zokwenza, base bezethula eqenjini elikhulu elinobuciko ukuze libanikeze imibono yabo.
4.2.4. Phoqelela Uhulumeni Ngokumcindezela
Uhulumeni unaka kuphela okuphathelene nezinqola zabakhubazekile.
Inqubomgomo: Ababambiqhaza abaningi bavumelana ukuthi uhulumeni unegunya elinesibopho
elinamandla ekutheleleni izakhamuzi ezikhubazekile zaseNingizimu Afrika ngomoya omuhle ekukwazini
kwazo ukufinyelela ukuzimela, bathole umsebenzi, nokubamba iqhaza ngokuphelele emphakathini.
Umzamo owodwa kahulumeni wokusiza izakhamuzi ezinokukhubazeka ukuthuthukiswa Kwenqubomgomo
Wesu Labakhubazekile (noma Uhlaka Lwenqubomgomo Yabakhubazekile). Okubi ukuthi, izinqubomgomo
zalolu hlaka zithuthukiswe ngaphandle kokuxhumana nemiphakathi ekhubazekile. Kwesinye isikhathi, labo
abamele abakhubazekile ekuqaleni bayayeka ukumela izidingo zemiphakathi yabo uma bathola izikhundla
ezinamandla. Uma inqubomgomo ithuthukiswa, abenzi bezinqubomgomo kumele banikeze abakhubazekile
ithuba lokuthi bazicabangele ngaphambi kokuba babathathele izinqumo, ngaphandle kokuthi bona basho
okuthile. Ngokujwayelekile loku kunikezwa kolwazi kuzovela kubammeleli abavela kwabakhubazekile
abahlukile, ngoba umuntu onokukhubazeka okukodwa akasoze aqonda izindaba ezibhekene nomunye
umuntu onokunye ukukhubazeka. Emva kokuba inqubomgomo isikhona, kumele iphoqelelwe futhi

iminyango kaHulumeni kumele ibe ngumholi oyisibonelo. Okwamanje, amabhilidi amaningi kaHulumeni
awakwazi ukufinyelelwa ngabantu abakhubazekile.
Kukhona isidingo senqubomgomo ephathelene nokuqeqesha kokuba nozwelo okuyisisekelo
ngokuphathelene nokukhubazeka, ikakhulukazi kumamenenja nabantu abaqeqeshwa yi-SETA. Kukhona
futhi isidingo sokuphathwa kangcono kwabasebenzi abasiza umphakathi okhubazekileyo, njengabasebenzi
bezenhlalonhle, kufakwa ukuhlonipha okwengeziwe kanye nehholo elengeziwe kulabo abanolwazi oluningi
kwezomsebenzi.
Amathuba Okuqashwa: Umthetho Wokuqashwa (Umthetho weno-55) uyasho ukuthi uhulumeni
unikeza ama-2% ebantwini abanokukhubazeka. Ababili bababambiqhaza eshibhini babevela Emnyangweni
Wezolimo, lapho abangalndeli khona kuphela ama-2% kodwa abenza iphrojekthi yokuzama yokuqala,
lapho ama-100% eqembu labo anokukhubazeka okuthile. Leli qembu liqeqeshwa ukuthola nokususa
izitshalo ezigwegwayo. Nanoma Umthetho Wokuqashwa ungowokuqala maqondana nenqubomgomo
enhle, awuphoqelelwe ngokungenele futhi udaba “lokunikezelana okucatshangiwe” lusetshenziswa
ngabaqashi abanamandla ukuvimbela ukulandela. Abanye ababambiqhaza nabo bazizwa ukuthi
ezehlakalweni eziningi, kukhona isimo esijwayelekile zokuxhaphaza abakhubazekile, isibonelo
amamenenja asebenzisa abantu abangaboni emaphrojekthini ngaphandle kokubanikeza iholo
emaphrojekthini noma ukusebenzisa abantu abakhubazekile ukuthola ukuxhaswa ngezimali. Izinhlangano
eziningi ziphendule Umthetho Wokuqashwa ngokuqasha abantu abanokukhubazeka “okuncane”
ngokuqasha umuntu ongaboni noma umuntu okhubazeke ngokomzimba, ukuzama ukwehlisa Izindleko
Sezizonke Zokuqasha. Kodwa, kumele kube khona ibhajethi ekhethekile yabakhubazekile emnyangweni
ngamunye.
Isilinganiso sokuntuleka kwamathuba emisebenzi sabantu abanokukhubazeka siphezulu kakhulu, ngakhoke
beyeme kakhulu ezabelweni. Okudingekayo emphakathini onokukhubazeka ukwakha amandla okwenza
nokuqeqesha ukukhuphula ukuzimela nokumela abanye ezikhundleni zobuchwepheshe, ezikhundleni
eziphezulu zokuphatha, kanye nakwezinye izikhundla ezinokuthelela. Ababambiqhaza abaningi banikeza
imibono yokuthi abantu abaphila ngokukhubazeka basebenza kakhulu kunalabo abangenako, ngoba
badinga ukuziveza, kodwa esikhathini esiningi abanikezwa ithuba.
Ukuxhaswa Ngezimali: Uhulumeni udinga ukwabelana ngemithombo ebantwini abanokukhubazeka
ngemfundo yabo, imisebenzi yabo, kanye nokuthengwa kwezikhali ezinkulu nobuchwepheshe. Umnyango
Wezempilo kumele unikeze ukuxhaswa ngezimali komakhalekhukhwini abakhethekile kanye nezinye
izikhali, kodwa ukuya ngabanye balaba babambiqhaza, okwamanje baxhasa ngezimali abantu abadinga
izinqola zabakhubazekile. Uhulumeni angakwazi ukukunikeza amathuba emfundo ebantwini
abakhubazekile abafundile. Njengoba kuxoxwe esikhathini esedlule, abaqashi banoheho oluncane
olubenza baqashe abantu abakhubazekile ngoba ubuchwepheshe ababudingayo ukubasiza bubiza
kakhulu. Uhulumeni kumele ngaphezu kwenqubomgomo Yomthetho Wokuqashwa, anikeze imali
yokuthenga ezobuchwepheshe ezinkulu. Kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi Umnyango Wezobuciko Namasiko uthole
ukuxhasa ngezimali okwengeziwe kwamaphrojekthi abantu abaphila ngokukhubazeka nakweminye
iminyango kahulumeni.
Ucwaningo: Kuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi isikhathi esengeziwe kanye nezimali zisetshenziswe
nguHulumeni ngokuphathelene nocwaningo ngokukhubazeka, ikakhulukazi, ngokuphathelene nokuthi
kungafakwa kanjani abantu abaningi abanokukhubazeka ohlelweni lwabo kanye nasekwenzeni kwabo
inqubomgomo. Ucwaningo nokuthuthukiswa ngokufanayo nomsebenzi oqhubeka ku-Meraka kumele
uqhubeke wesekwe. Ukuqapha ukunaka okuphathelene nokukhubazeka, eyodwa yezinjongo ezisemqoka
okuxoxwe ngazo esikhathini esedlule (isigaba se-4.1.1.) kweyeme ezibalweni ezifanele. Ababambiqhaza
abaningi bavuma ukuthi akukho zibalo ezifanele eziphathelene nokukhubazeka. Isibonelo,
ngokuhambisana nezibalo ezithile, ama-6% omphakathi waseningizimu Afrika ukhubazeke kakhulu, kodwa
izingane eziningi azingeniswanga kulezi zibalo. Ngokusebenzisa izinhlelo zezabelo, izibalo eziningi
ngabantu abaphila ngokukhubazeka zingaqoqelwa ezempilo, izibalo zabantu, kanye nocwaningo

lobuchwepheshe, ekuthuthukisweni kwezinsizakalo ezingcono, ukwakha amandla okwenza, kanye
namathuba okuqashwa.
4.3. Bandakanya
Uzoziqonda kanjani izidingo zami uma ungazibandakanyi nami noma uxoxe izidingo zami nami?
4.3.1. ImihlahlandlelaYesifanekiso Sezobuchwepheshe
Njengoba kufanele ukuthi uhulumeni afake abantu abanokukhubazeka ekwenzeni inqubomgomo yabo,
ucwaningo, kanye nokuqoqa izibalo, ngokunjalo kumele abathuthukisi bezobuchwepheshe
bazibandakanye nabantu abanokukhubazeka ekuyingilezini kwesifanekiso. Loku kuyiqiniso hhayi kuphela
ekuthuthukisweni kwezikhali noma okuthambile kwekhompyutha okubhekana nabantu
abanokukhubazeka, kodwa kulabo babenzelwe abangabaseNingizimu Afrika. Uma ufanekisa
ezobuchwepheshe, kumele sifune abantu abanokukhubazeka ukuthi sifunde kubo, kumele sifake abantu
abanokukhubazeka emaqenjini aqondisiwe ngenkathi kwenziwa ucwaningo lwezifanekiso
zobuchwepheshe zomphakathi jikelele, kanti uma kufika ekufanekisweni kwezobuchwepheshe
zokukhulisa, abantu abanokukhubazeka kumele bazibandakanye ekufanekiseni futhi baqashwe
ezikhundleni ezinomthelela. Abantu okungenzeka basebenzise izikhali kumele baqeqeshwe ekusebenziseni
kwabo kanye nelungelo lokugcina ukusuka ekuqaleni uma ngabe injongo ngempela ingukwenza ngcono
izimpilo zalabo bantu. Abacwaningi nabafanekisi kumele bafake ukuqeqeshwa njengengxenye esemqoka
yohlelo lwabo yokuthuthukisa ezobuchwepheshe, bayenze ingaweli eceleni nje ukuze ifinyelele izikhathi
ezibekiwe. Ngendlela efanayo yokuthi uhulumeni aphoqelelwe ukuqinisekisa ukulandela izinqubomgomo
zawo, mhlawumbe isifungo se-UN (Izizwe Ezibumbene) ingasetshenziswa ukuphoqelela umphakathi
wobuchwepheshe ukulandela imihlahlandlela yokuzibandakanya kwemiphakathi ekhubazekile kanye
nokufinyelela okukhulunywa ngakho kulo mbiko.
Leli shabhu lanikeza iqembu le-Meraka ithuba lokuzwa ngokuqondile ebantwini abanokukhubazeka kanye
nabanye ababambiqhaza abasebenza esigabeni sabakhubazekile. Ababambiqhaza abaningi babejabule
ukubona ezobuchwepheshe ngaphansi kokuthuthukiswa kwe-Meraka okunikeza izidingo ezibanzi eziningi
ezehlukile. Kwakukhona kokubili injabulo nokungathembi ngokubakhona kwezobuchwepheshe okukhulu
kanye negunya elingadlalwa ngezobuchwepheshe ekusizeni abantu abanokukhubazeka ukuthi bafinyelele
ukuzimela bafinyelele ezinye izidingo. Ababambiqhaza banikeza okunye eqenjini le-Meraka imihlahlandlela
jikelele yokuthuthukisa ezobuchwepheshe. Isibonelo, abantu abakubeki phambili ukufinyelela
kwezobuchwepheshe, kodwa bakubeka phambili ukufinyelela inzuzo noma umthombo, ngakho-ke kwenza
kube nomqondo ukucabanga ngokukwazi ukufinyelela inzuzo kunokufinyelela kwezobuchwepheshe.
Ukuqeqeshwa kuyadingeka ukwenza abantu ukuba basebenzise ezobuchwepheshe. Ubuchwepheshe
kanye nokuqeqesha kwezobuchwepheshe kumele bucabangele izakhamuzi ezikhulile kanye nezimo
zezindawo ezisemaphandleni, lapho ama-CD nama-DVD angenzeka kunezincwadi, amakhompyutha
kunzima ukuwasebenzisa, futhi kwesinye isikhathi akukho gesi wokushaja umakhalekhukhwini.
Ezobuchwepheshe eziningi kanye nezikhali zabantu abanokukhubazeka, ezifana ne-GPS (Izinhlelo
Zokubeka Kwezembulunga (i-Global Positioning Systems) izikhali zabangaboni, ziyatholakala kwamanye
amazwe. Njengoba kushiwo ngaphambilini, okukodwa okubuyisela emva ngokungenisa ezweni
okuwubuchwepheshe kanye nezikhali ezivela e-U.S. ukuthi izindleko zokungenisa ezweni ziphezulu
kakhulu futhi azengamelwe yimithombo eminingi yokuxhasa ngezimali. Enye inkinga ukuthi yenza
ukulungiswa kube nzima. Kuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi izikhali zokukhiqiza eziningi ezivela eNingizimu
Afrika ezidingekayo.
4.3.2. Ubuchwepheshe Bemiphakathi Ekhubazekile
Ngesikhathi saleli shabhu, iziphakamiso eziyinani elithile zokufanekisa ubuchwepheshe zinikezwe
ngababambiqhaza. Omunye umbono owaphakanyiswa esikhathini esiningi yimishini yama-ATM evumela i-
Breyili. Ebanwini abangezwa, ikhompyutha ingasebenzisa izimpawu zokubona (izibani eziqhakazayo)
kunokusebenzisa imisindo yokuxwayisa ukubonisa inguquko kuzimo noma izinkinga. Ababambiqhaza
babefuna ukubheka eminye imithombo yamandla (engeyona kagesi) yomathangeni (ama-laptops) ukuze

asetshenziswe emaphandleni. Kwakukhona isiphakamiso sokuthuthukisa isikhali sokusiza izingane
ukuxhumana zisebenzisa izindlela ezihlukile. Abangezwa bazozuza kakhulu olimini lwezimpawu oluningi
olusakazwa kumabonakude. Izihloko ezingaphansi zesingisi azikhethiwe ngoba izakhamuzi eziningi
azikhulumi isiNgisi.
Komakhalekhukhwini, imiseebnzi eminingi ye-Breyili kumele ingeniswe esifanekisweni sawo kanye
nasesifanekisweni samakhadi e-airtime. Esinye isiphakamiso wukugcina ezobuchwepheshe zilula,
njengasesehlakalweni sesibonelo “senkinobho yokwethuka” ephezu komakhalekhukhwini. Izinkinobho
ezinje zomakhalekhukhwini zingafinyelela injongo ngemizamo emincane yabakhubazeke emehlweni.
Insizakalo yomakhalekhukhwini enikezwa ulwazi lokusheshayo, okufana nokuthi kumele wenzeni uma
umuntu othile eba nesifo sokuwa, ingaba wusizo olukhulu kakhulu. Oyedwa wababambiqhaza wenze
ikhaya labantu abakhubazekile abazimele futhi abasebenzayo, kodwa abazi ukuthi bangalutholaphi ulwazi
nezinsizakalo. Uhlu lwezehlakalo olufakwe esangweni le-NAP azokuba nosizo uma efinyelelwa ocingweni.
4.3.3. Ukwazisa Ngezobuchwepheshe be-Meraka
Kubabambiqhaza abaningi, ishabhu kwakuyidili labo lokuqala lokufunda ngesango le-NAP. Abanye
ababambiqhaza bezwa kuwukuqala okumnandi nokuthi kuyisidingo sokusakaza izinsizakalo ezikhona
kanye nezehlakalo kodwa akusiwo wonke umuntu okwazi ukufinyelela iwebhusayidi ngakho-ke bazizwa
bekude nezinsizakalo kanye nobuchwepheshe. Kuye kwaphakanyiswa ukuthi Iphrojekthi ye-NAP kumele
izame ukwenza ukuvakasha ezindaweni eziningi ukuthola ukuvumelana nomphakathi. Baphinde
baphakamisa ukuthi i-Meraka yenze uphenyo ukuthi kungani i-Inthanethi ingekho, ingafinyeleleki noma
ingathandwa ngabantu abanokukhubazeka. Eminye imiqondo ephakanyisiwe ayenesidingo sokuvikeleka
nokuqinisekisa uma usebenzisa i-Inthanethi, okungenzaka ingabi ngeyobuntu bese kuba nzima ukusho
ukuthi ngubani okuxhunywana naye.
Amalungu eqembu le-Meraka afuna ukubona ukusetshenziswa kwe-HLT (Ezobuchwepheshe Bolimi
Lobuntu) kwezikhali zokukhubazeka futhi besiza umphakathi kwezemfundo nezemiphambo.
Ubuchwepheshe obuphakanyisiwe buzakweseka izilimi zendawo okungasiza ukuthi kuxazululwe ezinye
zezinselele zokunikezelwa kolwazi kanye nokuqondanisa. I-HLT ingakwazi ukweseka amandla okwakha
uma esetshenziswa ukuthuthukisa izincwadi zezifundo kanye nemibhalo yokuqeqesha esebenzisanayo.
Kodwa omunye umbambiqhaza wabonisa ukuthi ubuchwepheshe ngaso sonke isikhathi bubhekana
nomphakathi wasemadolobheni, ngakho-ke kudinga amandla emithombo, futhi wacela ukuba ukufaka
izindawo zasemaphandleni kuzinxazululo zobuchwepheshe kube yinto okuzoqaliswa ngayo,
ukucatshangwa njengesifanekiso sezobuchwepheshe kulabo abanezihibe engqondweni, okungenzeka
ukuthi wonke umuntu azuze kuyo. Ababambiqhaza bazisola ngokubi nasikhathi kuleli shabhu sokuthi
baxoxisane ngokugcwele ngalezi zindaba zokufakwa kwabasemaphandleni bese benza nohlelo lwezenzo,
isibonelo ukusebenzisa amandla elanga ukushaja umakhalekhukhwini.

Appendix A: Ingxoxo Eqondisiwe – Amazwi Alotshiwe Etafula Labamukela Izihambeli
INQUBO YOKUXOXISANA
Umjikelezo woku-1: UKUSUKA KUPHODIYAMU
• Qala ngokuthula okwesikhashana
• Lesi isikhathi seminikelo yomuntu ngamunye.
• Umamukeli zivakashi uqalisa lomjikelezo :
• Ngokuphakamisa isikhali sokukhuluma
• Ngokuzazisa nokuphendula imibuzo ngomusho owodwa noma emibili
• Ngokudlulisela isikhali sokukhuluma emuntwini olandelayo
• Uma umuntu ngamunye ekhuluma, bonke abantu balalela ngokuqaphelisisa, ngaphandle
kokunikeza umbono.
Umjikelezo 2: EMVA KOKUQEDWA KOMJIKELEZO WOKU- 1
AMATAFULA ABAMUKELI ZIVAKASHI NICELWA UKUBA NIFUNDE OKULANDELAYO:
• Lesi sikhathi sokujulisa ingxoxo.
• Sizophinde sisebenzise isikhali sokukhuluma bese simema imibono yomuntu ngamunye.
• Thatha amaminithi ama-2-3 ukwabelana ngokujulile imicabango yakho noma ukwabelana
umbono noma umbuzo ophathelene nokuthile okuzwile emjikelezweni wokuqala .
• Ngenkathi umuntu ngamunye ekhuluma, abanye bazokulalela ngokuqaphelisisisa,
ngaphandle kokunikeza umbono.
UMJIKELEZO 3: EMVA KOKUQEDA UMJIKELEZO WESI- 2
AMATAFULA ABAMUKELI ZIVAKASHI NICELWA UKUBA NIFUNDE OKULANDELAYO:
• Lesi yisikhathi sokuxoxisana okuhambisanayo “inkulumo mpendulwano enomoya”
• Ungakwazi ukwandisa imicabango yakho, uphendule okuzwe kushiwo ngabanye, noma
ubonise ukufuna ukwazi ngento ethile oyizwile ngokubuza umbuzo …
• Isikhali sokukhuluma sizakuma ngaphakathi nendawo; uma uzwa sengathi ukuxoxisana
kuhamba ngokushesha, futhi ufuna ithuba lokusho okuthile, ungathinta isikhali sokukhuluma
noma ubonise etafuleni lakho ngenye indlela ukuthi ufuna ukuba ngolandelayo.
• Lo mjikelezo uzophela ngo-11:40.
UMJIKELEZO 4: IMIYALELO YOMJIKELEZO WOKUGCINA IZAKUNIKEZWA UKUSUKA KUPHODIYAMU.
UMBUZO 1:
Njengezakhamuzi ezinokukhubazeka, kukunini lapho uzizwe uxhumekile?
UMBUZO 2:
Yisiphi isenzo sokuhlanganyela esingathathwa ngumuntu ngamunye ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izakhamuzi
zaseningizimu Afrika ezinokukhubazeka zihlanganizwe ngokuphelele futhi zixhunywe nomphakathi?
Uyacelwa ukuba uthathe manoti mayelana nemiqondo nemicabango esemqoka engxoxweni
yenu.
IZIVUMELWANO
• Simema ukubamba iqhaza
• Silalela…ngokuhlonipha
• Sifuna ukwazi

• Simema Ukwehluka
• Siqotho/Sineqiniso
• Sihlonipha Ukuhlakanipha kwakho.
• Sisho ngamafuphi
Ingxoxo Eqondisiwe – Amazwi alotshiwe Omlungiseleli
• Wamukelekile (amaminithi ayi-15)
1. Incazelojikelele Yenqubo
• Sizosebenzisa inqubo elula esizoyifanisa uma siloku siqhubeka.
• Ifaka imijikelezo emi-4 yokuxoxisana. Ngaphambi komjikelezo ngamunye kungaba yimina
noma itafula lakho lomamukeli zivakashe lizokukhumbuza ngenqubo yalowo mjikelezo .
• Umjikelezo wokuqala nokuvala yizikhathi zeminikelo yomuntu ngamunye. Loku kuvumela
wonke umuntu ukuba azwakale.
• Umjikelezo ophakathi ubizwa “Inkulumo Mpendulwano Yomoya”. Lapho kulapho eziningi
zezingxoxo zethu ezizokwenzeka khona. Siyaxoxisana ekwabelaneni ngemiqondo
okunempilo.
• Sizokusebenzisa “isikhali sokukhuluma”. Namuhla sizosebenzisa ucingo
olungumakhalekhukhwini lwetafula lomamukela zivakashi njengesikhali sokukhuluma.
Yinoma ngubani ophethe isikhali sokukhuluma kumele balalele ngokuphelele ngenkathi
bekhuluma. Akukho ukuthikameza noma ukukhuluma ngokuphambana.
• Itafula lakho lomamukeli zivakashi lingabhala phansi imicabango evela ekuxoxisaneni.
2. Izivumelwano
• Isethi lezivumelwano engizokwabelana ngalo nawe kungekudala likunikeza isisekelo
sengxoxo yethu. Ngokwabelana ngokuzimisela kokuthi sivumelane kanjani ukwenza inkulumo
mpendulwano sakha ukuphepha nokuphatha kahle. Loku kusiza ukudlulisa ingxoxo yethu
ukuthi ibe wukwabelana nokulalela okukodwa okunzulu.
• Simema ukubamba iqhaza. Zizwe ukhululekile ukudlulisa ithuba.
• Siyalalela…Ngokuhlonipha: Isikhathi esiningi esiyingini sizosiqeda silalele. Siziqeqesha
ukulalela ngomqondo ovulekile kanye nangokuhlonipha kwangempela kokhulumayo.
• Sifuna Ukwazi: Sifuna ukuqonda kunokuncenga.
• Simema Ukwehluka futhi sihlonipha yonke imibono yabanye.
• Siqotho/Sineqiniso: sikhuluma ngokunenhliziyo yobuntu nencazelo.
• Sihlonipha Ukuhlakanipha ngaphakathi komuntu ngamunye. Asizami ukulungisa,
seluleke noma sihlole omunye umuntu.
• Sishaya ngamafuphi: Sikhuluma ngobuqotho kanye nangobunzulu, kodwa asiqhubeke
njalo njalo. Sizama ukuhlala ngaphansi kwemizuzu embalwa ngakho-ke sithola ithuba
lokuzwa okuvela kuwo wonke umuntu.
• Kungabe SIKAHLE sonke ngalezi zivumelwano?
• Kungabe kukhona yini ezinye izivumelwano ezizokwenzeka uzizwe uphatheke kahle?
• Ingxenye yesibopho setafula labamukeli zivakashi ukusiza iqembu ukuba lihloniphe lezi
zivumelwano. Ukwenza lo msebenzi, kuzomele bathikameze, noma bezizonda kakhulu loko,
ukuzikhumbuza ngalezi zivumelwano. Sethemba ukuthi uzakuqonda loku.
3. Umbuzo
• Imibuzo esizawube siyinaka sikhulume ngayo yilena:

UMBUZO 1:
Njengezakhamuzi ezinokukhubazeka, kukunini lapho uzizwe uxhumekile?
UMBUZO 2:
Yisiphi isenzo sokuhlanganyela esingathathwa ngumuntu ngamunye ukuqinisekisa ukuthi
izakhamuzi zaseningizimu Afrika ezinokukhubazeka zihlanganizwe ngokuphelele futhi
zixhunywe nomphakathi?
4. Imihlahlandlela/Imibono Yomamukela zivakashi yemijikelezo
• Sizoqalisa ngokuthula ukuphendula ngalo mbuzo .
a. Umjikelezo 1: (Amaminithi ayi-10)
• Lesi yisikhathi seminikelo yomuntu ngamunye. Ngenkathi umuntu oyedwa ekhuluma,
bonke abanye bazokulalela ngokuqaphelelisisa, ngaphandle kokunikeza imibono, ukukhuluma
ngokuphambanisa noma imibuzo.
• Itafula lakho lomamukela zivakashi lizakuqalisa lomjikelezo ngokuphakamisa isikhali
sokukhuluma, bazazise bese ngomusho owodwa noma emibili, babelane ngemicabango
yabo yokuqala noma ukuphendula umbuzo wethu .
• Bazobe sebedlulisa isikhali sokukhuluma uma sebeqede ukwabelana nathi.
• Dlulisa nje isikhali sokukhuluma uma ungafisi ukwabelana ngokuthile.
• Uma wonke umuntu esekwazile ukwabelana ngemiqondo nezimpendulo zabo zokuqala,
itafula lomamukela zivakashi lizoqalisa umjikelezo wesi- 2. Matafula omamukela zivakashi,
niyacelwa ukuba niqalise.
QAPHELA ISIKHATHI SOKUQALISA______
b. Umjikelezo we- 2: (amaminithi ayi-15 min)
• Lesi yisikhathi sokujulisa ukuxoxisana.
• Sizophinde futhi sisebenzise isikhali sokukhuluma bese simema iminikelo yomuntu
ngamunye.
• Thatha cishe amaminithi ama-2-3 ukwabelana ngokujulile imicabango yakho noma
ukwabelana noma ukunikeza umbono noma umbuzo ngokuthile okungenzeka ukuzwile
ngesikhathi somjikelezo wokuqala .
Sonke manje kumele sisebenzele ukuqeda umjikelezo we-2 ukuze sishiye isikhathi eziningi sokuxoxisana
okuhambisanayo komjikelezo wesi-3, uma ningakawuqali.
c. Umjikelezo 3: (amaminithi angama-30)
• Lo mjikelezo uyinhliziyo yengxoxo;unokubambisana.
• Ungakwazi ukwandisa imicabango yakho, uphendule okuzwe kushiwo ngabanye, noma
ubonise ukufuna ukwazi ngento ethile oyizwile ngokubuza umbuzo …
• Isikhali sokukhuluma sizakuma ngaphakathi nendawo; uma uzwa sengathi ukuxoxisana
kuhamba ngokushesha, futhi ufuna ithuba lokusho okuthile, ungathinta isikhali sokukhuluma
ukwazisa abanye…uzokuba ngolandelayo
Asizisondezeni ekuqedeni lo mjikelezo ukuze sishiye isikhathi esanele sawo wonke umuntu ukuze enze
umnikelo emjikelezweni wokugcina . Yinoma ngubani osakhuluma esikhathini samanje, makaqhubeke
aqede imibono yakhe, bese sizophetha sesisonke.
(amaminithi ama-2 okulondolozwa)

d. Umjikelezo 4: (amaminithi ayi-10)
• Lona ngumjikelezo wethu wokuvala
• Sizoqala ngokuthula ukusivumela ukuthi sininge ngezingxoxo zethu.
• Bese-ke zizonikela umuntu ngamunye ukuba anikeze umusho owodwa noma emibili
ngokuphathelene nolwazi oluthathwa ngumuntu ngamunye olwazini lwethu lwezempilo—
inqubo, okuqukethwe yingxoxo, noma kokubili. Uvumelekile futhi ukwabelana yinoma yimiphi
imiqondo yokugcina ezokusiza ukuletha ingxoxo ekuvalweni okwenelisayo.
• Itafula lomamukela zivakashi lingabhala phansi le micabango yokugcina emakhadini
anikeziwe ukuze labelane nabo bonke abasendlini esikhathini esizayo.
• Sizosebenzisa isikhali sokukhuluma njengoba senzile emijikelezweni emibili yokuqala.
• Uyacelwa ukuba udlulise okukhulunyelwa kuko uma ungafisi ukwabelana ngokuthile.
• Asisebenzise nje isikhathi esincane sithi ukucabanga manje. (amasekhendi angama-30)
• Abamukeli zivakashi bamatafula, sicela uqale umjikelezo wokugcina .
5. Imibono Yokuvala (yeqembu lonke)
• Manje kumele siphethe.
• Singakwazi yini ukuzwa imibono ethile nemicabango eye yavela ngesikhathi senu
sokuxoxisana?
• Siyabonga ukuthi nibambe iqhaza.

Appendix 20 Morphological Analysis Workshop Presentation
General Morphological Analysis
Alta de Waal
Fritz Zwicky
1898-1974
Professor of Astronomy (1942-1968)
California Institute of Technology
Co-founder of Aerojet Engineering
President of ”International
Academy of Astronautics”
- Discovered evidence for ”dark matter” in galaxies (1933)
- Triple-hypothesis: supernova, neutron stars & cosmic rays(1934)
- Galaxies and galaxy clusters act as gravitational lens (1937)
- Developed morphological analysis as a general method for
non-quantified modelling using a ”morphological field”

What’s the problem?
Mess
Problem
Puzzle
Russel Ackoff: Re-designing the Future, 1974
= Complex issue which is not well
formulated or defined; “wicked
problem”
= Well formulated/defined issue, but
with no single, clear-cut solution
(various solutions depending on…)
= Well defined problem with a
specific solution which can be
worked out.
Morphological Analysis:
A GENERALISED METHOD FOR STRUCTURING
AND ANALYSING COMPLEX PROBLEM FIELDS
WHICH:
• ARE INHERENTLY NON-QUANTIFIABLE
• CONTAIN NON-RESOLVABLE UNCERTAINTIES
• CANNOT BE CAUSALLY MODELLED OR SIMULATED
• REQUIRE A JUDGMENTAL APPROACH

For What ?
LONG-TERM PLANNING and
STRATEGY EVALUATION – e.g.
• Developing situation laboratories
• Structuring and analysing complex
policy spaces
• Relating ends and means in strategic
planning
• Positional analysis (Stakeholder analysis)
Philosophy
The method is:
• Process and group oriented
• Generic
• Transparent (No black boxes)
• Traceable (“Audit Trail”)
• Easy to update results

Results: Result
• A structured (dimensioned) problem
• Simple laboratory (Scenario)
• Complex laboratory (Scenario-Strategy)
• Complex overlay laboratories
• Validated IO-model/instrument
Morphological Field

Step 1: Identify Variables
Step 2: Identify States
Field has 808 5000 configurations

Step 3: Inter-dependence
Inter dependence
Cross-consistency matrix
Configurations are reduced

Functional Morphological Field
Linked morphological models: models
Linked models
Scenario laboratory
Strategy laboratory

TAO-Strat
Overlay verlay techniques:
Scenario/strategy overlay methods
Steps in developing a MA
• Jackpot question
• Variables
• States for Variables
• Inter-consistency

Appendix 21 Application selection workshop presentation
Lwazi
Telephone Information Service
What we know…
Application
Selection
workshop
“We have been contracted to
develop a multilingual, telephonebased
syst. that will enable callers
to access govt services in the
official language of their choice
through a simple speechoriented
interface that is suitable
for users with limited or no
literacy” (TOR between HLT and
DAC)

What we know…(2)
• Develop multilingual resources
and technologies
• Develop runtime platform
• Specification, design &
development of prototype and
pilot services
• 2 pilots in health or social
development domains to explore
challenges and opportunities
– A pilot is a system that
selected users can call and is
controlled and monitored by
HLT.
• 1 customer facing application
(2009)
– A customer facing app is a
toll-free number that anyone
can call.
One more year and counting
down!!!
Our goals by 2009…

LWAZI app selection team:
What do they do all day?
Talk !!!
- Planned meetings with
stakeholders and
possible partners.
- Discuss factors on how
to make an impact…
who and how are we
reaching South
Africans.
AHA moments!!!
• Brainstorm about
different domains.
• Allow ourselves to be
inspired by what other
people do (e.g. Soul City,
CDW’s).
• Our ideas came from our
surroundings.
LWAZI app selection team:
What do they do all day?

LWAZI app selection team:
What do they do all day?
We are on the phone!!!
• Introduce ourselves and
ask to meet.
• Start and pursue
relationships with
potential partners.
• Google was our friend!
LWAZI app selection team:
What do they do all day?
We go to power meetings!!!
• Create awareness of our
technologies
• Explore possibilities of
partnership
• Learn about SA
government and health
service delivery

LWAZI app selection team:
What do they do all day?
We are on the road!!!
• Go on Site Visits
TES, child line (GP), DAC,
DPSA, GCIS, Soul City,
SETA, Thusong centres (5),
art centre (DBN)
• Conduct Community and
household surveys, KIIs,
focus groups, workshops

What did we find?
• Civil servants who were dedicated
• Government is interested in improving
access to its services
• Cell phones preferred to landlines
• There is a LOT of potential apps that would
keep us employed for the next 10 years
• And people are excited about HLT because
we had to create the awareness!
• Many of these apps are commercially viable

And then came science!!!
• We talked, we had brilliant
ideas, we were on the
phone and on the road BUT
we never forgot we were
scientists ☺
• We took all the brilliant
ideas we got from our
visits and created a
Morphological Model
LWAZI app selection team
What do they do all day?
Exposing HLT team to real life!!!

THANK YOU

Appendix 22 Morphological Analysis Workshop – Lwazi
Applications Model

Application selection workshop
Notes on the selection 26 May 2008 (13h00 to 16h30)
Opening talk
Tebogo opened the workshop after lunch. She did a power point presentation where she shared
• Lwazi objectives,
• Application Selection objectives,
• Application Selection process (how we recruited respondents, planning processes, the
different people we met, different
• sites we visited and the different data collection methods we used),
• General findings of the state of government service providers and the possible applications
• The involvement of different people from the HLT groups and
• Introduction of Morphological Analysis model as a tool assisting the team to select an
applicatio0n that more likely to be successful.
Introduction to workshop (Morphological analysis)
Alta introduced Morphological Analysis model to the candidates. She explained the different applications
and the corresponding agreeing variables. Then she introduced the skits.
Skits
After each skit, workshop delegates were asked to fill in a questionnaire rating the application. The
different comments by the delegates are in another document.
• Alta, Aditi and Madeleine performed the Health application skit.
• Child-headed households was performed by Jama Ndwe, Nathi Mqalo and Victor Zimu
• Load shedding was performed by Mark Zsilaveca and Bryan McAlister
• Community development workers was performed by Louise and Olga Martirosian
• SETA services was performed by Ronald Kato, Ewald van Dyk and Marelie Davel
Group discussion
Generally the groups voted the application in the following manner, in order of preference:

1. Health: has been
researched
2. SASSA,
CHHHH. SETA:
too static
TES: Core functionality,
local doable
SASSA: content ready
Health: doable and target
people that we want to
reach out.
Soul City: has lot of
momentum from media
and make use of energy
there and that Cell life
is involved.
TES:
World Cup:
1. SASSA (TES):
showcase what we
are able to do. Most
feasible with tech
we have
2. TES:
3. Health:
Child headed
Health
SASSA
Wrap up
In wrapping up the group was looking at application in terms of safety versus challenges. The different
types of applications were on information dissemination, Collecting / aggregating information and
collecting statistics. Meeting on the 28 th May made the final decision.
Core team selection (Alta, Aditi, Etienne, Madeleine, Marelie, Nathi and Tebogo) 28 May 2008

The team analysed the skit questionnaires and found that the top 3 preferred applications were Health,
TES and SASSA & World cup.
Strategically: we are aiming for the goal to be spectacular!!! We needed to choose an application that
would really demonstrate HLT. Marelie reminded us that we need to finished (the project needs to be
completed by June 2009) by 2009 June.
Decision
The decision taken was that we will continue pursuing Tshwane Electricity Service (load shedding
application).
The next application we will pursue is the Community Development Workers and find a link with SASSA
offices or Thusong centres.
Direction:
Talk to Community Development Workers (CDW) office (National) first then get direction. Then choose
CDW office that has good relationship with local SASSA office.

Appendix 23 Lwazi Applications
Health application
SA Open Phone
"Audio Brochure" provides caregivers of children with HIV with static, general health information. Users
navigate by pressing buttons and can leave a message at the end of a call. Content is natural voice
recordings in Setswana.
Content has already been created and piloted for Open Phone in Botswana. To pilot this in South African
(Northwest Province), we only require a strong partner, equivalent to Botswana Baylor Children's Clinic of
Excellence, and a technology partner to secure a toll free number.
Soul City
"Audio Brochure" which provides callers of an unspecified user group (youth?) with static, general health
information. Users navigate by pressing buttons. Content is natural voice recordings in local languages
that adapt Soul City content to the audio format. Soul City content has been tested in communities and is
extremely accessible and effective.
To pilot this app in South African, we may want to partner with Cell Life, who would be responsible for the
SMS portion. It would also require a technology partner to secure a toll free number.
TES
Tshwane Load Shedding app is an IVR system that callers to Tswhane Electricity Services call centre
reach before being connected to an agent. Callers provide their language preference and suburb of
interest using speech. Basic ASR recognises caller input.
The output of the system is concatenative TTS in three languages (English, Afrikaans, Setswana) which
provides the possible times that particular areas may be affected by load shedding, according to updates
to the Tshwane database, which employees of TES are responsible for maintaining.
SASSA
"Audio Brochure" and Local Hours and Info for rural SASSA offices.
Thusong centres and other rural community centres generally include a SASSA office, which is a major
source of income for many rural South Africans, many of whom do not read and write. Applying and
securing a grant may require several trips (wrong hours, incomplete paperwork) to the SASSA office,
which is costly and time-consuming.
Our application would provide callers with eligibility requirements, which is the same for the entire
country, as well as the hours of operation, costs if any, and location of the nearest SASSA office. Users
will not provide their ID or their suburb. We would pilot this in two Thosong service centres in the local
language of the two chosen regions, in addition to English and Afrikaans. Input would most likely be
DTMF (pressing buttons), output could be a combination of natural voice recordings and advanced TTS.
WORLD CUP COMM
This app is our most inventive use of IVRs. It is a community level self-tracking application as part of
greater government effort to encourage communities to prepare themselves to be hosts for 2010.
Members of the community will use app to set goals for themselves such as: hygiene, crime, events, small
businesses (Our community will prepare 3 events by next month). In addition to setting goals, they can
report on their achievements (youth group calls to report the prep of 1 event).

Community Development Workers could monitor the accuracy of the community achievements. The
winners of the competition will be acknowledged nationwide (ex. TV show). Input would likely be audio
files of the callers and DTMF (pressing buttons). Output would likely consist of advanced TTS and audio
files of callers and CDWs.
Child-headed HH
"Audio Brochure" that contains static information developed for children who are heads of households.
This will likely include info on how to access grants, services, free education, how to connect with a social
worker, access to fostering services, etc. IVR app will offer the option to connect to a CHILDLINE operator
at any time. The app could be DTMF or ASR for input. Output will need to be natural voice recordings
because the nature of the content requires empathy and trust.
If child is prompted to provide address (speech recognition), we could also provide physical address of
the nearest social work office, contact details, and office hours. This is a challenge for two reasons: 1.
Accurate databases of addresses seem to be hard to come by and 2. this application is high-risk, due to
the audience, and giving out inaccurate information could be very detrimental. Speech recognition would
need to be adapted to children's speech.
CDW
This application would strengthen connections between community members, CDWs, Thusong Service
centres, and the national CDW facilitator. Currently much of the communication across the channels takes
place on the cellphone, at the cost of the caller or the CDWs own small personal budget. At the same
time, the national CDW facilitator finds it difficult to communicate directly with CDWs.
Our application would be an IVR system that was housed in TSCs and connected to a landline (cheap and
paid for by the government). Different aspects of the system would be populated by different people -
there could be an audio prompt that the national facilitator would populate ("Did you know that as part of
a national campaign for the elderly, this or that minister will be coming to your community to participate
in a town hall meeting. etc.). Another audio prompt could be updated or recorded by the TSC manager
(Here are the hours of the SASSA office, etc.), while still another audio prompt could be updated by a
CDW (there will be free ID registry at this primary school on Sunday, bring your birth certificate and ...).
Populating the content of the system could take place within the system - for example, a CDW could call,
enter a password, and record their message. Other callers (community members), would not have such a
password so would be unable to edit those aspects of the system.
SETA
"Audio Brochure" for SETA - Services Education and Training Authority
The Event Management Chamber of SETA drives a learnership in event management. It is a one year
course where learners are taught the basic principles of event management. They are then assigned to a
mentor (from industry) and need to apply their skills in their communities. This is with special focus on
2010. About 200 learners have already been recruited for this year, their initial year, and their training will
begin in June 2008.
The type of events range from sports, holiday events to community meetings, special days and
celebrations. A wealth of information is distributed via a toolkit (physical box with booklets) to the
learners.
Our app would be a static, audio version of the SETA learnership toolkit in local languages. Input could be
touchtone or basic ASR, output could be advanced TTS or natural voice recordings.

DAC are on the board of the event management chamber and created a task team on events and
technical services (sound engineering, etc.) They are the only government department taking ownership
of event management as a SETA initiative.