I’VE MET SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE
In the photo: Swartland Municipality COVID 19 Heroes: Jo-Anne Krieger (Director Development Services), Joggie Scholtz (Municipal Manager) and Hillary Balie (Manager Community Development officer)
Dear Friends,
This horrendous virus has drawn people together in the most unexpected ways. I have been privileged to meet some extraordinary public officials who I would probably never have met but for COVID 19. Joggie Scholtz the Municipal Manager of Swartland Municipality carries the burden of over 3 700 square kilometres of South Africa, 11 towns and villages and hundreds of farms, somewhere around 200 000 people live in the Swartland. To watch Joggie at work caring for these communities during this pandemic is inspiring. Municipal officials spend most of their time overseeing rules and regulations, enforcing laws, collecting rates, maintaining and improving infrastructure, not the most popular jobs in the community and yet to watch Joggie and his officials move swiftly into feeding tens of thousands of people and concerning themselves with everyone’s health was very impressive and motivating.
Of course, he hasn’t done all of this additional work on his own. He has strong support from Jo-Anne Krieger (Director Development Services) and Hillary Balie (Manager Community Development Officer) both, have been outstanding, working 24/7. Hillary herself caught the virus and was off work for some time. Always friendly and cheerful under very difficult conditions. They bent over backwards to help Goedgedacht in a dozen different ways in the five villages where we have POP Youth Centres and are feeding over 1200 families a day. Last week the Municipality handed out 77 food hampers valued at R3 500 to the various food kitchens.
Then on the Health side, Goedgedacht has worked closely with Dr Hawkridge who is in charge of the Public Health Services of the West Coast. Quietly spoken, a good listener and willing to help in whatever way possible to ensure that we all stay healthy in this difficult time.
We salute you all.
Thank you Swartland Municipality, in particular Jo-Anne and Hillary for all the work that you are doing. Thank you Joggie and Dr Hawkridge.
You are all COVID 19 heroes.
To our many donors, I would like to say a big thank! You are touching the hearts of many people benefitting from Goedgedacht’s interventions
Yours sincerely,
Deon Snyman
Managing Director