Leader Profiles
Profiles of Reblocking Team Supervisors, Team Leaders, & Gardening and Carpentry Team Leaders
Name: Lungile Mbekeni or “King”
Age: 36
Family: King has family around the Joe Slovo Park area. He is not married and has one daughter. His two brothers and one sister live in Rabi, Cape Town and the rest of his family lives in the Eastern Cape.
Background: He was born and raised in the Eastern Cape, and came to Cape Town in 2000 in search of a job. He drove taxis for a few years for work and moved to Mtshini Wam in 2007.
Roles in the Community: King serves as a community leader. He has also recently taken on the responsibility of being a Carpentry Team Leader. On top of these roles, he also oversees the entire reblocking process as the project manager for Mtshini Wam.
Responsibilities: He was recruited as a community leader for his interest in keeping the crime rate down, and he continues to make sure the community is safe. With his Carpentry Leader role he hopes to start a business with the other members of carpentry team, using recycled materials to create doors, desks, chairs, cabinets, etc. As project manager he makes sure that the supervisors are doing their jobs; however, he is a volunteer and is not paid by the EPWP.
Interests: He enjoys going to the gym after work hours.
Positives of Living in Mtshini Wam: He thinks a positive is to see how much the community has accomplished.
Advice for Future Reblocking: King would advise other communities to make sure they are unified behind the process in order to do things correctly.
Dreams for Mtshini Wam: He would like to see Mtshini Wam become a better place to live than others. It’s challenging, however, because the community must work to make dreams happen.
Name: “Nokwezi” Nokuzola Klaas
Age: 41
Family: Nokwezi is married to Siyamcela Hlazo. She has 4 kids who stay in Transkei in the Eastern Cape, but two of her brothers live in Mtshini Wam.
Background: She was born and raised in Queenstown, Eastern Cape. Nokwezi first came to Cape Town in 2000 and has lived in Mtshini Wam since 2006.
Roles in Community: Nokwezi is a volunteer Community Leader who was later approved by the community collectively. She volunteered to be a Community Leader in 2009 when there were no chemical toilets or talk of reblocking, and the community needed someone to stand up for the group. Through this, she realised that the community needed to start mobilising, saying ‘we have to get these basic services ourselves.’ Around this time ISN came to the community, they had already been researching how to get these services themselves. On top of her role as a Community Leader, she also serves as the Supervisor of the Demolishing Team and does half of the Administration work involved in the reblocking process.
Daily Responsibilities: In her role as Supervisor of the Demolishing Team, she is part of the negotiations with the community when they are about to demolish shacks. She must then inform the shack owners in advance that they are now going to be reblocking their shack. It is her responsibility to ensure that all of the Demolishing Team members are working, and that community members are moving into their new structures upon completion. On top of these duties, she checks frequently to make sure the structures are built correctly, and that the material is being delivered on time on not. Nokwezi is also in charge of tending to the notebooks for keeping track of demolishing, material received and reports on reblocking, which helps the leaders make sure they know when they need to make an order for shacks and which sizes are required. Along with Nonceba, another Community Leader, Nokwezi has signing power for the transfer of money to and from the community savings account to the upgrading account. The community likely decided to entrust both women to be responsible for the savings and fund transfers because they were integral parts of starting the savings scheme. Once the funds have been transferred, the community leaders share the bank statements with the community members to make sure there is absolute transparency about where the savings money has gone.
Interests: In her free time she enjoys going to Church and shopping in town. Although these are her favorite activities, she spends much of her time in Mtshini Wam answering all the questions about reblocking or even just community disputes. Even though her work hours only span M-F 8am-5pm, her job as a community leader never stops, whether people have good questions, comments or unhappy concerns. For this reason, her family knows that she is very busy and she doesn’t get to visit with them often.
Positives of Mtshini Wam: Nokwezi thinks there are good and bad sides to Mtshini Wam. For one, everyone is benefitting from the reblocking, including herself, but there are often community problems. At times others want to be a leader, but they probably couldn’t stand the hard work and there also instances in which people will disagree to simply disagree with the leadership, even if the ideas are beneficial to the whole community. The best part of Mtshini Wam, says Nokwezi, is the warmth that you can feel in the community.
Recommendation for Future Reblocking: She stated ‘they can’t expect it to be smooth. Something that makes them cry is that it involves people with different minds, so you need to be a calm person, be confident, be sure of yourself, and don’t give up if you know what your goals are and what you’re looking at, then you can make it. Like climbing a hill wearing high heels — one heel might break and you get to the top with one heel. Now I feel I don’t have heels, but I can see the top! And being a community leader is not an easy job, and to be a supervisor, it is not an easy task. Need to be reasonable, don’t take everything into rush – if you get a hiccup, go to your room, get a drink, visit the bathroom, and try to freshen up your mind. It’s good to listen to other people and meet with people who can share ideas. You must have a respect for yourself and for other people.’
Dreams For The Future: Nokwezi dreams of turning Mtshini Wam, informal settlement, to Mtshini Wam township. She also sees flats made of bricks in 4 years time. Even with the new metal structures, they will be able to get paved roads with formal electricity, decreasing the dust and creating a vision of the future township.
Name: Nonceba “Nancy” Vaphi
Age: 30
Family: Nonceba is married to Thempalethu with 2 sons, ages 6 months and 8 years, respectively named Enumeration and Sinakuhel. Her sister-in-law lives in the formal houses in Joe Slovo Park.
Background: She was born and raised in Engcobo, Eastern Cape. In 1994 she moved to Cape Town for schooling, and lived in Filipe with her Grandfather, Grandmother, Auntie and cousins. She later moved to Mtshini Wam March 23, 2010, because her cousin was living there.
Roles in Community: Nonceba has multiple roles in the community including Community Leader, Cleaning Team Supervisor and Savings Supervisor.
Daily Responsibilities: She was trained by a woman from ISN on saving and has applied these skills in Mtshini Wam. As the head of savings, if a community member would like to start saving on their own or towards the community savings, she must keep track. Daily savings are only for personal benefit, where the community savings pool is used for repairs and things that directly benefit the whole group. From January to March, each saving household put R30 into the savings and from March to present each saving household contributed R10. Each saving household is given a savings book to keep track and Nonceba is responsible for signing off on these booklets as well. There are some people who are very against savings and will not contribute, but most have chosen over time to contribute. Overall the system is somewhat complicated and some community members don’t understand when money is discussed. The municipality stated that the community must reblock in order to receive services like taps and toilets. The term Vugusenzele, which in Xhosa means“do it yourself,” was a national idea meaning that the community was not going to wait for the municipality to come in and build new things; if the community wanted new things they would somehow get these things themselves. ISN and CORC helped bring in these new ideas surrounding savings, and helped them perform their community enumeration. Nonceba is responsible for keeping track of the books for ordering Fire Kits from the City and materials from iKhayalami. It is her job to make sure everyone has saved enough to pay for the materials before they are ordered.
In her role as the Cleaning Team Supervisor she needs to check that the rubble truck is coming on time and that it is completely loaded. After the last truckload of the day, Nonceba and the driver sign a receipt as proof that the rubble truck came and took the rubble all day. She must also make sure that all members of the cleaning team are actively working and that the ground is completely clear of rubble and trash before compacting can begin.
Interests: It is very important for Nonceba to be a mother to her children and she likes to enjoy her weekends and nights with her family undisturbed by community work. They like to go into the city, out to dinner, or to Century City for shopping, and on Sunday she attends church.
Best Part of Mtshini Wam: She says that the best thing about Mtshini Wam right now is that things are improving, but she still wishes there were formal electricity.
Recommendations for Future Reblocking: She recommends that communities do the enumeration and savings, but also communicate well between the Municipality, ISN and CORC. There are also many benefits to reblocking like fire prevention and crime, and with the help of the partners it is all possible. She advises other settlements to do that reblocking for the safety of all informal settlements from fire. Not only does reblocking help protect your own home, but it can prevent fires from spreading settlement to settlement as well.
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: Nonceba hopes for a community hall with a care centre for the children to keep them safe inside, learning. This centre would also house a soup kitchen a few times a week in conjunction with a mobile clinic for treatment of HIV/AIDS, diabetes and TB.
Name: Siyamcela Hlazo or “Sia”
Age: 29
Family: Sia is married to Nokwezi Klaas with no kids. His cousin lives in Joe Slovo Park and his brothers and mother still live back in the Eastern Cape.
Background: He was born and raised in Tsomo, Eastern Cape, moved to Cape Town in 1996 for schooling and later to Mtshini Wam in December 2004.
Roles in Community: Sia serves as a member of the Community Leadership as well as the Compacting Team Leader.
Daily Responsibilities: In his role as a Compacting Team Leader, he takes the levels for the ground and keeps track to make sure the workers are staying busy. If no work needs to be done with compacting, Sia ensures that they are helping other teams in their tasks. As a Community Leader, he has to know the community’s needs and deliver on them. He became a leader in 2004, at the time that the police were demolishing houses because they were technically squatting on government owned land. The community needed a representative to stand up to the law enforcement and Sia decided to take on this challenge. In June 2005 he was able to negotiate with the police to stop further demolition, with an agreement that the community leaders would keep the peace within the Mtshini Wam. From there on out he served as a community leader and continues this today. He must also keep the peace between members of the Mtshini Wam community. He very much enjoys the hard work that goes into being a part of the leadership and the reblocking efforts.
Interests: On the weekends Sia tends to the community members issues, helping to resolve problems that arise. He feels as though the community is his family and he will do anything to find a way to help.
Best Part of Mtshini Wam: Sia enjoys having his own responsibilities as one of the community leaders, and being in charge of himself and his home.
Advice for Future Reblocking: He says that other communities must be unified before they start the reblocking, but also stand for their ideas. Informal settlements know they are poor but they must take that in their heart so then they can begin to find a way to change it. There must be strong leadership to lead the community to stand strong for their ideas.
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: Sia wishes that everyone will eventually have formal structures (brick houses), which will make them feel like everyone else. He says he feels safe like everyone now, after this reblocking, but there is still inequality through the informal to formal housing.
Name: Mziwekhaya Nozombile or “Khaya”
Age: 25
Family: Khaya has 12 siblings who live in Joe Slovo Park in informal houses.
Background: He was born and raised in Mt. Fletcher, Eastern Cape. In 1997 he moved with his parents to Cape Town in 1997, they were seeking jobs and getting Khaya a proper education. From 1997-2009 he lived with his parents until he decided he was old enough to move to Mtshini Wam, where he has lived ever since.
Comm. Involvement / Roles: Khaya is part of the Community Leadership as well as Supervisor to the Building Team.
Daily Responsibilities: In his role as Building Team Supervisor he is always busy guiding the workers and checking on the structures after building is complete. There is always discussion about where and how to build the structures and he also helps to place material orders and keep track of other necessary paperwork. He believes that being a Supervisor and Community Leader is a team effort and that two minds are better than one, and constant communication is very important.
Interests: Khaya has finished his business courses and hopes to move on to learn about management, or human resources. He really enjoys his Herbal Life business and has plans to continuing to be more involved in the company. In his spare time he likes to go to the gym.
Best Part of Mtshini Wam: He greatly appreciates all the benefits provided by reblocking. People used to think “If only I was not living here,” wishing to get out of Mtshini Wam, but now people like living in the community. The crime rates are low, and the flooding has really decreased and will continue to decrease which will make Mtshini Wam an even more fun place to live. In his eyes, Mtshini Wam has become one big happy family.
Advice for Future Reblocking: Khaya recommends that other communities learn to do it themselves, ‘wake up and don’t wait for someone to feed you the spoon that you can put in your mouth yourself.’ He says, “at the end of the day, the only people who can truly change the way you live, is you and the community.” It is important not to wait for someone else to come do it for you because you are the only ones who know what you want.
Dreams for the future: In the future, he sees Mtshini Wam as somewhat of a tourist site, where people can come visit the first site where reblocking started. Even if Mtshini Wam is an informal settlement, the people are willing to improve their own community and the reblocking could serve as an example all over the world.
Name: Luthando Africa Klaas or “Roots”
Age: 26
Family: He is married with one daughter living in Mtshini Wam. He also has one brother (Khumza), one sister (Nokwezi), one niece, as well as his brother-in-law and their son who all live in Mtshini Wam.
Background: Roots was born and raised in Queenstown, Eastern Cape. He moved to Cape Town in 2003 to live with Nokwezi. At this time, his calling to be a Sangoma was beginning to disturb his schoolwork and his parents thought that moving away from home for schooling would stop the calling. However, he ended up dropping out of school to follow his calling after all. He later moved to Mtshini Wam to start fresh again in 2006.
Roles in the Community: Roots used to be a part of the community leadership, but is no longer involved. He is the Technical Team Supervisor and Compacting Team Leader.
Daily Responsibilities: Roots’ main role as Technical Team Supervisor is to identify a cluster and tell demolition guys to talk to the shack owners. Then identify the new cluster to be reblocked from the space demolished. From there he updates the layout when there are new changes. He also checks with Nonceba, Sia, Khaya, Nokwezi and King to organize the cluster to prep for demo and building. In his role as Compacting Team Leader he marks cluster shack size, and calls the truck to deliver G5 and sand, switching off with Sia on ordering and using the compacting machine if one or the other is not around.
Interests: He would like to someday have a laboratory of his own to do his work healing as a Sangoma because he really enjoys healing people. Back home in the Eastern Cape he also loves to hunt.
Best Part About Mtshini Wam: Roots enjoys that all the residents of Mtshini Wam are from different places back in the Eastern Cape, coming from different cultures that create disagreements at times. But, one thing that they do agree on is the security of the community. Mtshini Wam is a very safe place compared to other informal settlements, everyone hates crime no matter where they are from originally.
Advice for Future Reblocking: He advises that other communities have a strong backbone if they want to implement reblocking or even green blocking. You must remain together from the start of the project until the end. A strong, united community leadership is also crucial to success, as the leadership must ‘let no air come between them.’
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: He would like to one day see the community be built of concrete walls with a second story or basement, as he knows that there is no more room to spread out wide across Cape Town.
Name: Melikhaya Klaas or “Khumza”
Age: 21
Family: Khumza had 3 sisters and 2 brothers, 1 sister (Nokwezi) and 1 brother (Roots) who live in Mtshini Wam, his other sisters passed away. His Mother, Father, and some extended family live back in the Eastern Cape.
Background: Khumza was born and raised in Ezibeleai, Queenstown, Eastern Cape. He moved to Cape Town in 2004, following his sister who had lived here for 3 years, looking for both schooling and work, where he lived as a backyarder in Joe Slovo Park. In 2007 he moved from Joe Slovo Park to Mtshini Wam due to the backyarder policies and the subpar quality of life.
Roles in Community: He is the Demolition Team Leader as well as a Carpentry Team Leader. Also was a part of the original Design Team before the implementation of reblocking.
Daily Responsibilities: As the Demolition Team Leader it is his job to make sure that the guys are all working and if there is no demolition work to do, that the workers help other teams. He must also write a weekly report to detail the weeks’ work for demolition. As one of the Carpentry Team Leaders he is working with King to develop a business for the group to build and sell furniture made of recycled materials.
Skills for Team: Good at woodwork, can build roofs and are fast learners
Interests: In his free time he likes to hang out with his friends, listen to music, and go to Century City. He also enjoys music, TV, movies and wishes he had more time and energy to play sports.
Best Part About Mtshini Wam: He feels that the way in which the shacks are arranged, with doors facing inwards, says a lot about the community. To him it means that your neighbors will back you up if you’re ever in trouble, and no one will ever be the “poorest” of the poor because everyone supports each other. Everyone has big hearts and is willing to help without getting anything in return.
Recommendation for Future Reblocking: For a community to reblock, says Khumza, they must be sure and strong, because its tough work that can be stressful. They must be always happy to do this work because if you are not dedicated to your work then it is not going to go right. Dedication and communication are keys to success because you will be able to handle anything that comes your way.
Dreams for the Future: Khumza dreams of having a flat with two stories in Mtshini Wam, where you own the top and bottom floors yourself.
Name: Philasande Mvubu or “Phila”
Age: 21
Family: Her father has passed away and her mother lives in the Eastern Cape. She is not married and has one son Hialannathi who is 1 year and 8 months old.
Background: Phila was born and raised in Nelspruit, Johannesburg. She moved from Johannesburg to the Eastern Cape and finally to Mtshini Wam, Cape Town in 2007 to further her studies.
Role in Community: She is the Cleaning Team Leader.
Daily Responsibilities: As cleaning team leader she checks to make sure that all Cleaning Team members are working on either cleaning tasks or helping other teams with their work. She also makes sure that rubble is cleared properly.
Interests: After work hours she likes to stay at home, watch TV and spend time with her son.
Best Part About Mtshini Wam: Phila enjoys the atmosphere and everything around Mtshini Wam, like the safe and friendly community feeling.
Advice for Future Reblocking: She advises that other communities save and to be united with the same understanding so things will go smoothly.
Dreams for Future of Mtshini Wam: Phila hopes that once the relocking is done they will be able to have electricity, flushing toilets, as well as fencing around Mtshini Wam.
Name: Luthando Mqikena (Harman)
Translator: Khumza
Age: 20
Family: Harman’s family, including his Grandma, Uncles and Aunts live back in the Eastern Cape, and he has no brothers or sisters. His cousin lives in Mtshini Wam.
Background: He arrived in Samora on January 15th, 2012, and moved to Cape Town by January 20th. His tough relationship with his family back in Tzolo, Eastern Cape, pushed him to move to Mtshini Wam to live with his cousin.
Roles in Community: Harman is the Building Team Leader (Siding).
Daily Responsibilities: Nokwezi asked him if he would like to work on the reblocking process because he was unemployed. The leaders saw that he was a hard worker and dedicated to the job and that he was willing to give up everything for work so he was given the position of Building Team Leader. As Building Team Leader he works on a lot of different things, but the main thing is to put up structures. He also assigns the workers to help with other teams when there is no building to be done.
Interests: In his free time he likes to chill at home and hang out with his friends.
Best Part About Mtshini Wam: He feels that the community takes him as their family and there is little crime in Mtshini Wam because the community has learned how to deal with it.
Recommendations for future reblocking: He says that the communities must work hand in hand and always try to come to the same level of understanding whenever there is a problem, all while working as hard as you can.
Dreams for the future of Mtshini Wam: He would like for Mtshini Wam to all have brick houses with yards and slabs, and all of the entrances to have locked gates.
Name: Sibusiso Rasimen
Age: 30
Family: His family, including one brother and one sister, his mother and father, all live in the Eastern Cape.
Background: Sibusiso was born in Elliot, Eastern Cape. He moved to Cape Town and Mtshini Wam in February of 2009 looking for work.
Roles in the Community: He is the Building Team Leader for Roofing.
Responsibilities: Uses the leadership for guidance to ensure daily tasks of roofing are completed, or that workers are divided amongst other teams to complete necessary work.
Interests: He keeps himself busy with his own work and other jobs, like painting.
Positives of Living in Mtshini Wam: Sibusiso like that Mtshini Wam is a safe place to live and that the community makes sure that thieves stay out.
Advice for Future Reblocking: His best advice for other communities going through reblocking is to keep on saving to make sure that changes really happen.
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: He hopes that people will continue to not wait for the government to provide them with community improvements, but that the community will keep doing things for themselves.
Additional Comments: Sibusiso has seen that through reblocking there are many opportunities in the world and the community of Mtshini Wam feel like people now. He is happy with the reblocking process as it has both physically improved Mtshini Wam but also shows that there are other opportunities available to them now that they can try and get in Mtshini Wam.
Name: Yolokazi Jacqueline Ntsomi
Age: 25
Family: Her mother and father both live in Joe Slovo Park, along with her 3 brothers. She has a two and a half year old son who lives with her in Mtshini Wam and she is recently engaged, and will be getting married January of next year.
Background: Ntsomi is originally from East London, Mtantsane, Eastern Cape. She moved to Cape Town and Mtshini Wam in August of 2008, after graduating Grade 12, looking for schooling and a job at the same time. She is currently studying in her 2nd year of Electrical Engineering and Construction at a local university.
Roles: She leads the Gardening Team and works as a member of the Building Team.
Responsibilities: At the start of reblocking she decided that she wanted to join the building team to gain skills that were applicable and would supplement her education. As a builder she is building new shacks most every day. If she is not building new shacks, she helps the compacting or cleaning teams. In her role as the Gardening Team Leader she is responsible for taking care of all of the gardens on a daily basis and instructing the other members of the group how do the same. She has been gardening since 6th grade.
Interests: Ntsomi likes to spend Saturdays with her family and son, and on Sundays she spends her day at church as a Leader of a Youth Group, which teaches young children morals and values.
Positives of Living in Mtshini Wam: Ntsomi thinks that Mtshini Wam is beautiful now; that there are major improvements in the community in terms of the roads and yard, and that it is also much safer to live in the community now.
Advice for Future Reblocking: She recommends that other communities start saving. Other communities must have something on hand in terms of savings, and community members must be committed and work together. It is very important that the community has savings to show they are trying to improve on their own. No one is going to give something for nothing, so it is important for the community to have something on hand before they ask for help. Then they can ask, “Can you help me out? I have this much but I cannot yet reach that higher level.”
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: She believes that Mtshini Wam has the potential to go far. The community is really close knit and they are getting to know each other better and better every day. They now have a choir and they have people who give advice on how to quit smoking and drinking – in her words, ‘everyone has changed.’
Name: Yolokazi Jacqueline Ntsomi
Age: 25
Family: Her mother and father both live in Joe Slovo Park, along with her 3 brothers. She has a two and a half year old son who lives with her in Mtshini Wam and she is recently engaged, and will be getting married January of next year.
Background: Ntsomi is originally from East London, Mtantsane, Eastern Cape. She moved to Cape Town and Mtshini Wam in August of 2008, after graduating Grade 12, looking for schooling and a job at the same time. She is currently studying in her 2nd year of Electrical Engineering and Construction at a local university.
Roles: She leads the Gardening Team and works as a member of the Building Team.
Responsibilities: At the start of reblocking she decided that she wanted to join the building team to gain skills that were applicable and would supplement her education. As a builder she is building new shacks most every day. If she is not building new shacks, she helps the compacting or cleaning teams. In her role as the Gardening Team Leader she is responsible for taking care of all of the gardens on a daily basis and instructing the other members of the group how do the same. She has been gardening since 6th grade.
Interests: Ntsomi likes to spend Saturdays with her family and son, and on Sundays she spends her day at church as a Leader of a Youth Group, which teaches young children morals and values.
Positives of Living in Mtshini Wam: Ntsomi thinks that Mtshini Wam is beautiful now; that there are major improvements in the community in terms of the roads and yard, and that it is also much safer to live in the community now.
Advice for Future Reblocking: She recommends that other communities start saving. Other communities must have something on hand in terms of savings, and community members must be committed and work together. It is very important that the community has savings to show they are trying to improve on their own. No one is going to give something for nothing, so it is important for the community to have something on hand before they ask for help. Then they can ask, “Can you help me out? I have this much but I cannot yet reach that higher level.”
Dreams for the Future of Mtshini Wam: She believes that Mtshini Wam has the potential to go far. The community is really close knit and they are getting to know each other better and better every day. They now have a choir and they have people who give advice on how to quit smoking and drinking – in her words, ‘everyone has changed.’