developing the community

hello everyone my name is bongani i've been trying to create a community project through building an organization , an organization that will deliver the community needs with the help of the people abroad to assist us with necessary skillz and equipment .to find a way to combine small project to create a bigger organization, because it does'nt help having a thousand of project in the same community many of them are still looking to be funded within there needs but its very defficult. i'm not looking for any position but to see my community succeeding and developing a positive attitude. and if anyone likes to help to make this dream come true
please you are welcome.

Presentation of my community

Back Round & History

The Meadowlands Zone 11 was a men hostel before it was change to family house units. The Zone 11 as it was a hostel in the early sixties it was for male migrate workers in a “bungalow” style with 16 people sharing one bungalow with a kitchen/dining room and four bedrooms. The facilities for group of bungalows were provided in a free standing toilets blocks. The hostel was original planned to accommodate 10316 single males. In 1977 there were floods in Kliptown area then the families were affected by floods were accommodated in Meadowlands Hostel and the city council decided to subdivide the bungalows into house the affected families. At present there are 3 444 families residing in Meadowlands Zone 11. The present standard single bungalows have been subdivided into 5 families units each being 15 meter square in size.

No census has been taken which would indicate the level of employment within the area or the ability of residents to pay for services, housing etc. In year 2002 the Meadowlands hostel community decided to change the Meadowlands Hostel name into Meadowlands Zone 11 because it was no longer a hostel but a family unit houses.

The Key People of Meadowlands Zone 11

Ø The local Council
Ø The Traditional Authorities (Izinduna)
Ø The Local Churches
Ø The Football Teams
Ø The Taxi Owners
Ø The Community Members (women, men, youth) and children
Ø Jiba Technology & Internet cafe

The Geographic of the Community

The Meadowlands Zone 11 is divided into 1-4 phases, the first phase was renovated in 1994 and the people from the community worked in the construction, the second phase was renovated in 1998 and in 2002 the third phase was renovated all this construction programs the council used the community members for contracting the area Meadowlands Zone11 have 3 444 households + new 45 houses different from the other houses which all have running water and electricity. The households are two rooms’ houses with a bathroom in all the renovated phases (1-3) and for the fourth phase are still going to be renovated.

Meadowlands Zone 11 is located in the northern part of Soweto near Kilaney, Mzimhlophe and Meadowlands Zone1. The Zone 11 area is about 16.8098 Morgan or 528600m². It had 5 football fields but now there is only one field left because the council has build houses in the 4 fields at the moment (June 2008) the construction is on process.
Zone 11 have three main entrances the Sputnik Garage, Carr street and at the Gate. Near the gate there is an Ekuthuleni/Kgotsong Recreation center where my organization (Sizanani) is situated on a container, Local municipality office, Post office boxes, Eskom pay point, the church of Nazareth, five shops with dry cleaner and the Rock of Salvation Church office.

Within the area there is no school; most children travel to Mzimhlophe and Meadowlands Zone1 the neighboring areas as is less than a kilometer and some go far places as they can afford for transport. In the community there is one Crèche and 4 informal Crèche for day care during the parents went to work or at school as the community is affected by a high rate of teenage pregnancy. There is one tar road and all the streets are gravel. The community has ±135 selling points (tuck shops) also with 2 taverns for members would like to enjoy themselves.

The crèche

The Demographic of the Community

As the area was created for 10316 single males and the place was change into family house units the population of Meadowlands Zone 11is now estimated at ±25 000 people. The area is now overpopulated compare to its original plan as single house unit has 5 people in a two room house. The most community members have created more space for themselves and the put shacks at the back of the house.

The Zone 11 community is a black community dominated by Zulu people then followed by Sotho speaking people then other tribes follow the Tsonga, Xhosa, Pedi and Tswana are likely to be equal. There are foreign people within the community from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique and less than 10 people come from central African countries. The most of the community communicate in Zulu as it is a popular language even in the neighboring areas.

Meadowlands Zone 11 is led by the local Councilor and Izinduna (traditional authorities). The Councilor is Mr. Zithhulele Dlamini an IFP leader and a ward 40 PR (assistance) Councilor who is a leader assisted by the Izinduna who lead people from their home town as the community came for work . There is an Induna for even people from outside the country. Each area from KwaZulu Natal, Polokwane, Mpumalanga and other Provinces. The task for these Izinduna is to control its people from wrong doing like fighting, stilling and other acts that can cause friction between community members.

The Summary of the Historical Events of the Community

In 1991 before the release of the South Africa former President Nelson Mandela from Robben Island the area started violence even the neighboring areas were affected by the violence of ANC against IFP. The two parties were killing each other, saying the place should be an ANC territory and others saying it should be an IFP territory, the violence continue until it changed into Zulus classified as IFP and the others as ANC then the violence was Zulu against Xhosas & Sothos. It took the Zulu people who were ANC to be IFP because of them being labeled as IFP. Many people died at ± 786 deaths most of the deaths were Xhosa and some were Sothos. Those Xhosa & Sotho people who survived the violence ran away from the area. The fight ended before the 1994 election because of the peace agreement from both parties IFP & ANC. All the nations are back and the place has peace. On the 28th July 2007 (Saturday) the community had a strike to plead to the city of Joburg Mayor Mr. Amos Masondo and to the provincial government for the area to be developed as is it the only area behind with development in the northern Soweto, because the mayor said it is an area dominated by IFP and the city won’t build for IFP’s. The community blocked the Soweto high way and the Mzimhlophe railway station until the city of Joburg called the leader in a meeting and gave them budget for a construction project of 136 million rand.

The needs of the community

The most need of the community is housing as the community is overpopulated due to the birth and the increase number of new residents. The city is now trying to build more houses to change two rooms into four rooms. In the community there is also a high rate of unemployment, the construction project has employed the community of Meadowlands Zone 11, and the poverty is alleviated with the organization Sizanani as it have three projects the OVC, HBC & Poverty alleviation. The OVC program has a dropping centre for children undergoing school as they come in the morning for breakfast & lunch boxes, after school for lunch then supper and take super boxes. Those who have chronic illnesses and the aged are being taken care by the HBC program, that monitor those who take medication and do bed bath if is needed. The poverty alleviation program focus to the youth that is struggling form poverty depending on the problem and it has a support group for HIV/AIDS infected and affected people. The OVC & Poverty alleviation programs are founded by the Department of Social Services. The HBC program is founded by the Department of Health. There are other NGO’s who donate to the organization like Hollard Foundation, Save Africa children and etc.


The additional information of the community life

The community pays the services from R18 – 74 .00 a month in the local city council office. There are 12 soccer teams in the community and they have their own football league but they are not taken into consideration because they still classified as teams from hostel. The clinic was taken from the community to Mzimhlophe because the ward40 council said people in ward 40 don’t feel safe coming in a hostel for health assisted. Most of the men in the community are in the taxi industry as taxi drivers and taxi owners. Other community members work in the firms at Florida a place next to the area that has lot of firms. Other families survive on the grants that they get from the Department of Social Services and with help from Sizanani

The community has a high rate of teenage pregnancy and some children are affected by sexual abuse that might be caused by the high number of men than women in the community also with the small space in the households. There is a high rate of people living with HIV/AIDS. The people use public phones and cell phones as they don’t have landline phones.

ZONE 11 TOWNSHIP EXPERIENCE (6hrs guided tour)

Guided tour inclusive of lunch, transportation and entrance fees.
Free pick-up can be provided with public transportation from JHB bus
station and airport.

PROGRAM:

Starting at 9am our tour guide will pick you up at the premises above indicated.
Once reached the foundation office we begin our walking tour through Zone 11 township, meeting locals and key players in the community life which will introduce to the
culture and history of this former male hostel.

Strolling down the street we will have the chance to learn the different phases of the developing of its transformation into township, where families carrie on their daily life.

Afterwards, with private trasportation we head to other nearby townships, beginning with a visit at the Baragwanath hospital, colorful market and

match-boxes houses.

Driving through Orlando East we sight-see the Cooling Towers, the Pirates' soccer stadium and Elias Motswaledi squatter camp. Next stop at Walter Sisulo square where will learn about the Fredoom Charter: blacks, whites and indians gather to agree the pillar of freedom, walking
around the market inside the mall and visiting the Kliptown Museum.

Then we visit Regina Mundi, the biggest catholic church in Soweto, historically famous because, during the student upraising, polical activistes used to hold meetings and hide inside.

4 DAYS UKHAHLAMBA OUTBACK TOUR

Rates include: transportations to/from JHB/Pretoria, horse-riding, accomodation on full-board basis with a host family and entrance fees.

DAY 1

A four hours drive will lead us, through the Drakensberg lush landscapes, to Ngodini village, where we experience Zulu life and traditions. After a welcome tea and meeting
the host family for lunch, we walk around the village taking part in different local activities, such as visiting schools, upliftment projects and Ngodini community project.
Later we visit the Sangoma, the local medicine men. Dinner and overnight with the host family. We can have a bonfire and lose ourselves into the endless starry sky of
Drakensberg.

DAY 2

After breakfast we go horse-riding across rural villages and the wild, rolling hills of the Drakensberg, to the lagoon, garanteeing a truly exciting experience for your all sense and emotions. Learning about plants and wild life, we will have our outdoor lunch.
We ride back on the opposite mountain side, stopping along the Injasuti river to refresh the horses and relieve ourselves with a swim or fishing. Back in Ngodini we continue experiencing the village traditional life, seeing the preparation and performance of Zulu dances. After an exhausting, adventurous day we finally can lay back and chat with the locals.
Dinner and overnight with the host family. Bonfire under starry sky.

DAY 3

After breakfast we wind-up to the Ukhahlamba, the Drakensberg world heritage site: a magic combination of wild life and dramatic beauties, including 3000mts high peaks. Hiking above grassy valleys and crystal clear streams we head to the San Rock Art and admire their wonderful paintings and graffities.
Back in Ngodini we have free time to join the projects' activities or simply relax with a cup of tea. Dinner, bonfire and overnight with the host family.

DAY 4

After breakfast, we say good-bye to the host family and return back.