Photograph by: Simon Mathebula
She will be remembered as a graceful pillar of justice, who maintained a strong commitment to her family and country throughout some of the most chaotic times in South African history.
Her legacy lives on through the Albertina Sisulu Foundation and Albertina Sisulu Multi-Purpose Resource Centre
Speakers take part in the Health Summit held in Khayelitsha. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu
Khayelitsha residents came in great numbers to the two-day Health Summit that was held at Isiphiwo Primary School in Harare on Saturday and Sunday, 20-21 November. This was their chance to voice their concerns regarding health care service delivery.
SANGOCO Western Cape, People’s Health Movement South Africa, DKT International, City of Cape Town, and other role players in public health met with the members of the community discuss these issues.
Funders and sponsors like Capitec Bank gave messages of support at the Summit and the current status of health in Khayelitsha was discussed by Dr Virginia Azevedo of the City Health Department.
In her presentation, Dr Azevedo showed that there is a high mortality rate for children under the age of 5 with Gastro-Aids. The high number of people who are suffering from womb cancer shows the poor access to antenatal care in Khayelitsha, compared to other areas like Michell’s plain.
Professor Nomafrench Mbombo, a deputy director at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) School of Nursing said antenatal care during pregnancy is of great importance, so that problems with the health of the mother or the baby can be diagnosed at an early stage. “No woman should die unnecessary,” she said. (more…)
A female engineer works at the Volkswagen South Africa plant in Uitenhage. Very few women have been given the chance to possess such high level skills. Photo: Media Club South Africa
Many training programmes exist in South Africa with the aim of empowering women, but most women are still not gaining the marketable professional skills they are meant to from these initiatives.
The Sowetan reports that it was found in a study commissioned by Policy Analysis and Capacity Enhancement and the Human Sciences Research Council (Republic of South Africa), “that women, particularly those from the rural areas, were still not benefiting from training programmes aimed to empower women”. In other words, although 51% of South Africa’s population is female, the progress of development in South Africa is not yet fully inclusive and has been effectively reinforcing the predatory patriarchy of the old South Africa. (more…)
Mzamo Sidelo and Leo Mbobi from the Red Card Campaign discuss their strategy. Photo: Nondumiso Ntsengentsu
A while ago, Creative Consulting & Development Works blogged about the Red Card initiative, that was run during the 2010 Soccer World Cup, to create awareness about risky sexual behaviour, human trafficking, forced labour and sexual slavery. We are excited to see that this initiative has now extended beyond the World Cup, with organisations coming together to further this goal.
Development Works attended the partner organisations workshop on the Red Card Campaign Against Child Sexual Exploitation, facilitated by Sonke Gender Justice Network on 22 October at the Gugulethu library. Sonke made it clear that they want all organisations dealing with issues related to the Red Card campaign to take an active part in it. The campaign does not belong only to Sonke. It is only through a combined effort that they will really make a difference. (more…)
Patricia de Lille was appointed as Minister of Social Development in the Western Cape. Photo: Carolyn Meads via Flickr
Premier Helen Zille has reshuffled her cabinet in the Western Cape and Patricia de Lille has been appointed as the new Minister of Social Development. It will now be interesting to see what the impact will be on the social development sector in the province.
Polity.org reports that De Lille said: “Social development is my passion. For 24 years I’ve been fighting for the poor and the downtrodden. You won’t find me in an office, I will be out there dealing with the problems on the ground.”
This follows after the ID, the political party formed by De Lille in 2003, joined the DA on 15 August this year. According to Who’s Who of Southern Africa De Lille was the first woman to form a political party in this country.
South African History Online says De Lille has been vocal on “sensitive issues such as corruption, HIV/AIDS, women and child abuse, children in prison, xenophobia and poverty”. She also serves on the boards of the following organisations:
The new appointment might mean new energy in the sector. Whatever happens, the most important thing is the impact on the poorest communities. Will a new appointment make a difference to them?
