NEWS
COMMUNITY PROFILE
2009 RivLife Community Centre
A profile of the current situation in Ward 34 in the Msunduzi Municipal Area (Pietermaritzburg) of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Ward 34 is composed of six communities, two of these communities (Panorama and Eastwood) are well developed and the other four are informal settlements, poverty-stricken and have low cost housing as part of the Rural Development Program targeting poverty alleviation. These four communities are Cinderella A and B, Madiba, Thembalihle and Tamboville. Community development needs include access to social facilities, access to basic services, environment, land and housing and economic development.
Population
It is estimated that the total population of these six communities is 27000 with the Msunduzi Municipality comprising of 521805. The population group includes blacks, coloreds and Indians living in Panorama. 80% of Eastwood population is colored and 20% are blacks. 90% of the total population in Cinderella is blacks and 10% is coloreds. 99% of the total population Madiba, Thembalihle and Tambouville is black.
Power and leadership
There is a Ward Councilor (Kehlo Dladla) in charge of the Ward 34. He is assisted by the 10 Ward committee members. The 10 committee members are constitutionally selected by the Msunduzi Municipality. These 10 members represent different portfolios from the government departments, for instance a representative for the Department of Social development, Health, and Education. These area committee members represent all the communities in the Ward.
Socio-economic status
The Provincial Growth and Development Strategy states that KwaZulu-Natal is estimated to have the third largest incidence of poverty in the whole of South Africa. Sixty percent of the population lies below the poverty datum line and is not provided with basic services and facilities. The rate of illiteracy is very high. This problem is more pronounced in the rural and peri-urban areas and affects mostly women and the predominantly African areas. There are low income earners in Ward 34, most of them work at the surrounding factories and industries. The majority of the population is poverty stricken and depends on the social grants and pensions from the government. The rate of school drop-outs are high leading to the escalating rates of unemployment in the Ward. One of the major social ills in the Ward is HIV and Aids. It is estimated that 60% of the total population in Ward 34 is either affected or infected by this pandemic.
Welfare services
There are a number of welfare organizations working in Ward 34 to meet the needs of the people in a holistic manner. These organizations include Rivlife Community Centre, Child and Family Welfare Society, Msunduzi Hospice, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Christian Social Awareness and the Child Advocacy Centre. Department of Social Development also works in the Ward through its social workers and community developers. There is one service office in Raisethorpe for the Ward. The community is also serviced by one Police Station in Mountain Rise.
Communication and transport
Flyers, posters and loud speaker are used to communicate and disseminate information in the different communities. There are also volunteers representing different communities who are used to disseminate information to their respective communities. The greater part of the Ward depends on the public transport to go to town and hospital. There is a tarred main road connecting the communities to Central Town. Other means of communication available are cell-phones, public or community phone shops and Postage mails in Cinderella, Eastwood and Panorama.
Values and tradition
Sixty percent of the community members in the poverty-stricken communities in Ward 34 are still involved in Traditional Zulu culture. This is noticed when a person is sick and the family consults a traditional healer before going to the clinic or instead of giving a patient medical treatment from the hospital they will resort to their traditional medication.
Health services
There is one clinic (Eastwood clinic) servicing all the communities in Ward 34. Serious cases are referred to Northdale hospital and other hospitals in Pietermaritzburg. This clinic offers most of the services from HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and minor ailments. The clinic is run by the Msunduzi Municipality.
Education services
There are three primary schools and one High school in the Ward. Eastwood High school also accommodates other pupils from other Wards. McCarthy primary is in Tambouville, Panorama primary in Panorama and Eastwood Primary in Eastwood. McCarthy is still underdeveloped and the government is in the process of building classroom blocks. The children from this Ward also attend Sobantu High school which is nearby. Almost all the schools are understaffed.
Population
It is estimated that the total population of these six communities is 27000 with the Msunduzi Municipality comprising of 521805. The population group includes blacks, coloreds and Indians living in Panorama. 80% of Eastwood population is colored and 20% are blacks. 90% of the total population in Cinderella is blacks and 10% is coloreds. 99% of the total population Madiba, Thembalihle and Tambouville is black.
Power and leadership
There is a Ward Councilor (Kehlo Dladla) in charge of the Ward 34. He is assisted by the 10 Ward committee members. The 10 committee members are constitutionally selected by the Msunduzi Municipality. These 10 members represent different portfolios from the government departments, for instance a representative for the Department of Social development, Health, and Education. These area committee members represent all the communities in the Ward.
Socio-economic status
The Provincial Growth and Development Strategy states that KwaZulu-Natal is estimated to have the third largest incidence of poverty in the whole of South Africa. Sixty percent of the population lies below the poverty datum line and is not provided with basic services and facilities. The rate of illiteracy is very high. This problem is more pronounced in the rural and peri-urban areas and affects mostly women and the predominantly African areas. There are low income earners in Ward 34, most of them work at the surrounding factories and industries. The majority of the population is poverty stricken and depends on the social grants and pensions from the government. The rate of school drop-outs are high leading to the escalating rates of unemployment in the Ward. One of the major social ills in the Ward is HIV and Aids. It is estimated that 60% of the total population in Ward 34 is either affected or infected by this pandemic.
Welfare services
There are a number of welfare organizations working in Ward 34 to meet the needs of the people in a holistic manner. These organizations include Rivlife Community Centre, Child and Family Welfare Society, Msunduzi Hospice, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Christian Social Awareness and the Child Advocacy Centre. Department of Social Development also works in the Ward through its social workers and community developers. There is one service office in Raisethorpe for the Ward. The community is also serviced by one Police Station in Mountain Rise.
Communication and transport
Flyers, posters and loud speaker are used to communicate and disseminate information in the different communities. There are also volunteers representing different communities who are used to disseminate information to their respective communities. The greater part of the Ward depends on the public transport to go to town and hospital. There is a tarred main road connecting the communities to Central Town. Other means of communication available are cell-phones, public or community phone shops and Postage mails in Cinderella, Eastwood and Panorama.
Values and tradition
Sixty percent of the community members in the poverty-stricken communities in Ward 34 are still involved in Traditional Zulu culture. This is noticed when a person is sick and the family consults a traditional healer before going to the clinic or instead of giving a patient medical treatment from the hospital they will resort to their traditional medication.
Health services
There is one clinic (Eastwood clinic) servicing all the communities in Ward 34. Serious cases are referred to Northdale hospital and other hospitals in Pietermaritzburg. This clinic offers most of the services from HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and minor ailments. The clinic is run by the Msunduzi Municipality.
Education services
There are three primary schools and one High school in the Ward. Eastwood High school also accommodates other pupils from other Wards. McCarthy primary is in Tambouville, Panorama primary in Panorama and Eastwood Primary in Eastwood. McCarthy is still underdeveloped and the government is in the process of building classroom blocks. The children from this Ward also attend Sobantu High school which is nearby. Almost all the schools are understaffed.
Community Profile