By Asemahle Vumsindo
Residents of Ward 5 in Makhanda received much-needed services on Friday 19 September when government departments, civil society, and private partners gathered at Extension 9 Community Hall in Joza for an Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP).
The Initiative, led by SASSA, the Department of Social Development, Health, and the National Development Agency, forms part of government’s efforts to fight poverty and improve access to essential services in some of Makana’s poorest communities, including Extensions 3, 8, 9, the Transit Camp, and Enkanini informal settlement.
Long queues of residents waited to access services ranging from birth registration and ID applications to social grant sign-ups. “We are not working. I’m here to open a SASSA grant to fill in the empty spaces at home,” one resident told Grocott’s Mail. Others came to apply for identity documents, assisted by officials from Home Affairs.
Private partners also played a role. Banks helped locals open accounts, while Child Welfare offered community support. Old Mutual, which was also part of the outreach, used the opportunity to get people to sign up for policies, such as life insurance, and to pledge practical support in addressing Makhanda’s ongoing water crisis.
Athile Ngxumza, manager of Foundation Mass Retail at Old Mutual, told Grocott’s Mail, “We’ll be installing a big water tank in the community to make access to water easier. The locals have to travel far to get water, so we found it necessary that we do this for them.”
Although SASSA officials were unable to provide comment without authorization, the day highlighted how bringing services closer to the residents can help address long-standing challenges of hunger, unemployment, and limited access to resources in Ward 5.
