Along with traditional leaders, local councillors are the most powerful figures in a community, as they are responsible for spending government money and allocating jobs. Coordinators help them to target the needy with government resources and refer clients to them for services.

Zandile Khanyile, Dec 2008: Helping Families Prepare for Funerals

I have referred so many cases to the councillors and I was so surprised the way I was welcomed. I realised that there has been lack of communication within their communities as most councillors are busy and do not spend much time with the people who voted for them.

More people have been helped, especially disadvantaged families, in preparing for funerals when they had no money. The councillors organised everything for them. As more and more people always come to our centre when there’s death in the family, we now refer them to the councillors.

Phumzile Zuma, Sept 2008: Working with the Municipality – Food Parcels Distributed

On 14 September 2008 I visited Nwathimbe Secondary School at Loteni. There were 353 learners at the presentation. There are learners at this school who come from very poor families. The Impendle Municipality asked me to identify those children who are in need after I had approached them about the problem of poverty in the area, and food parcels were provided to those families in need.

                                                                                     (Right) Poverty in a household in Himeville 

Fisani Njokwe, April 2008: Meeting with Councillor about Lack of Delivery

On 20.04.2008 we gathered at the ward councillor’s house to discuss some of the issues pertaining to the community’s lives. About 54 households from neighbouring wards are without water and electricity. The small stream from which they obtain water is both dangerous and dirty. Sometimes the water simply dries up.

It was resolved at the meeting that a letter should be written to the municipality. Even the people in charge of building toilets have not provided the service to this community, but we hope that they will also ultimately be remembered. I am talking about drinking water and cooking water, not to mention washing. Children are dirty and seldom wash themselves. It is really pathetic.