The HBCCA Management Committee had their year end lunch on Wednesday the 30th November 2022. This is always a very special occasion for the Committee where time is spent reflecting on the activities of the past year and also preparing for the New Year. Time was spent thanking the Lord for all the accomplishments of the past year and also thanking Him for all the hardworking Committee Members, staff, volunteers and loyal friends and supporters.

This was also a sad occasion. It was the first time since the founding of the HBCCA in 1996 that it was without our beloved late Archbishop Griffiths Mketo who passed away in March of this year.

It was also the first time that our Chairlady, Lesley McCall could not attend because of illness that prevented her from attending.

Our PSALM 1 Community Upliftment Project is making excellent progress. We have received a few more welcome donations which enabled us to make good progress. We are still in need of approximately R8,000 to finish it completely.

The scale of the main mural was quite overwhelming at first. Working on long extension ladders in windy conditions posed a challenge in the beginning but our main artist, Duncan soon mastered the skill to work under these conditions.

For this year we have paused all painting work and will continue in the New Year again. We were hoping to have it done this year but felt better when we realised that all great pieces of art took time. Leonardo da Vinci took more than four years to complete the Mona Lisa and... his canvas was also a lot smaller ;-))

Thank you to all the private individuals and churches for your contributions - your money is being put to good use and will be a blessing to all the men, women and children that will walk past it everyday - for many years to come!

Iziko Lobomi received a visit from representatives of The Department of Social Development (DSD) on Wednesday the 21st of September. The original plan was to bring the Western Cape Premier, Mr Alan Winde, with and show him our Centre. His visit was unfortunately cancelled on the last minute due to security concerns after the two murders and fire over the weekend. We were assured by Mr Winde's office that this was only a postponement of a visit that will definitely take place at a more convenient time in the future.

However, we had a very fruitful meeting with the DSD representatives who expressed their gratitude in the way Bridgette and her team were running the DSD feeding scheme and that their gifts were to show their appreciation. Their gifts included two three-pot gas boiling tables, three large pots and several much needed general kitchen utensils.

We were asked to also prepare exhibits of the activities at Iziko Lobomi for the Premier. Besides a spring clean of our two computer rooms several tables were also prepared to illustrate the main activities including skills training opportunities at Iziko Lobomi.

Two members of the Imizamo Yethu Patrollers group were assassinated at their homes on the 23rd of September by disgruntled gangsters. These patrollers provide an invaluable 24 x 7 service to the community of Imizamo Yethu. They are a group of dedicated men that assist the Hout Bay Police to keep law and order in the community. Most of these men are fathers and husbands of families and provide these services voluntarily in their spare time - during the week and over weekends.

The Police is currently investigating these murders. To our knowledge, no arrests have been made to date.

The person on the left, Mr Joyi, was one of the patrollers that was murdered. He is an ordained Pastor and was preparing to go to his home at the end of September to get married to his fiancée. They have a three month old baby who is now fatherless.

Despite all the improvements in roads and infrastructure done by the Municipality to prevent fires, we still have the unfortunate occasions where accidents happen in homes causing fires. In the latest incident on the 23rd of September, a hundred homes were destroyed by the time the fire was extinguished. Sadly, one person also died as a result this fire.

Community Development Workers form the Municipality's Disaster Risk Management Centre were quick to provide their services. Toiletries, groceries, bedding and clothing was also provided by well-known local disaster relief organisation, 'Thula Thula Hout Bay'

We received a welcome visit from boys, parents and teachers from the Weinberg Boys Junior School. They brought the items collected in aid of the fire victims.

Thank you and well done Boys!

We are working on a very exciting new community upliftment project. We can't say too much at this stage because we are still in the planning stages and it will involve home owners of the community and we need to discuss our plans and get their permission first.

We are confident that we will get their permission which involves an upgrade of the pavement areas abutting their properties including a colourful mural on an outside wall of one of the homes.

What we can say at this stage is, once we get the approval and go-ahead, we will be launching this project officially which will involve funds and lots of volunteers.

This is all we can say at this stage. The plan is to have this project completed before the end of the year. The volunteers will be involved with the paintwork which will be done towards the end of the project, in the warmer months of October and November.

So, stay posted and we will send an update out as soon as we are ready!

DONATIONS TOWARDS THIS PROJECT CAN BE DONE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK...

Estimated cost of project: R35,000

Donations already received:

R2,500 (Australia)

R8,000 (Gqeberha - RSA)

R4,000 - (Hout Bay - RSA)

EXCOM Members from left to right:

Pastor Ncedo Ndongeni (Vice-Chairperson), Bongani Xanxiwe (Supporting Member), Hennie Jacobs

(Treasurer), Lesley McCall (Chairperson), Marion Franke (Secretary), Bridgette Mangcu (Vice-Secretary)

Pastor Ncedo Ndongene

 and Lesley

McCall opening meeting.

HBCCA members

Bridgette Mangcu

Centre office Administrator

and Manager delivering her annual report

South Africans are all in the grip of the inconveniences caused by the daily disruption of our power supply. The worst in many years.

Nobody knows when this situation will return to normal but, in the meantime we all have our ways of coping with this. Here we have a church and study group, receiving leadership training, who were not going to allow these power cuts to affect their programmes.

Well done guys!

The Western Cape Government approached the HBCCA in May'22 to check if we were willing to let them use Iziko Lobomi as one of their vaccination sites. We eagerly agreed and soon after they started to vaccinate people on Tuesdays in a room we made available to them.

The HBCCA feel privileged to be able to assist with this need and to be able to offer this service, on the doorstep of the residents of Imizamo Yethu.

The 5th of June 2022 was a very special day for the HBCCA. Over many years we have been in touch with members of the Christ Church congregation in Constantia. In times of need they would always be ready to provide a helping hand. One such time was during the Covid-19 lockdown  at the beginning of 2020 when substantial donations were made to the HBCCA to purchase food parcels for the people in Imizamo Yethu.

What made the 5th of June so special is that this was our first opportunity as Association to be formally  introduced to the church leadership and congregation. Prior to this, the HBCCA received a letter to inform us that the Outreach Committee has approved the HBCCA as one of their regular organisations that will receive monthly donations from their office.

Words cannot describe how grateful the HBCCA are for this commitment. The task of running a large community centre in the middle of a busy township is not an easy one. It firstly requires help and teamwork from dedicated men and women who all believe in the important work we do.

This is the reason why, after 26 years, the HBCCA can continue doing what it set itself to do when it was formed originally. This is not something that can be performed without such wonderful help, over so many years.

'... a holy church will be a powerful church. Nor shall there be lack of treasure in her coffers when grace is in her heart;

the free gifts of a willing people shall enable the workers for God to carry on their sacred enterprises without stint."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Treasury of David (Psalm 45:12)

The Learning Centre sponsored by Gartner SA (Pty) Ltd is going from strength to strength. Since the beginning of the year, Learning Events were held once a month to promote the Learning Centre and to encourage more people to register as students.

Almost 20 Alison Certificates have been issued already in this period of less than three months.

At the April Event one of the guests was a Manager, Samkelo Yeko, from the local Pick n Pay Store who shared with attendees his road to this position and what the requirements are of persons interested in working for a Supermarket in particular. There was also opportunity for questions at the end of his talk which made for some very interesting discussions.

Tebo Backward, who is in charge of the Learning Centre is responsible for the topics of each evening and is very excited in the keen interest in these evenings and the resultant increase in registrations. The Imizamo Yethu residents are indeed privileged to have such an incredible service and facilities available right on their doorsteps.

EULOGY

Archbishop Griffiths Mketo, former Vice President of the HBCCA, went home to be with the Lord (and to join his beloved wife Queenie) on the 10^th of March this year.  At his well attended memorial service at Iziko Lobomi so many individuals and church representatives paid homage to Tata Mketo for his unwavering service and faithfulness to his family, community, church, friends and colleagues.  In every sphere of his life Tata Mketo made a lasting impact.

 During the service the Chairperson, Ms Lesley McCall, honored Griffiths for his long standing commitment to both Iziko Lobomi and the community of Imizamo Yethu.  His service to the HBCCA spanned almost thirty years.  She further added that Tata Mketo was a gentle man yet full of courage, believed in justice but also in reconciliation .  He walked and demonstrated his faith without compromise for all to see.

 Although retired in 2020 his loss is greatly felt by the HBCCA and our heartfelt condolences go out to the Mketo family at this sad time of their loss. Tata Mketo is the second founding Father to have passed away following the death of Archbishop Nicholas Ndude in January 2021.

 His Lord said to him:

 “Well done good and faithful servant;

you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. 

Enter into the joy of your Lord.

(Matthew 25:21 NKJ).

Ms Agnes Gladile and Marion

 Franke at memorial service

Chairperson Lesley McCall paying

 tribute to late Arch Mketo at

memorial service

It is wonderful to see how the activities at Iziko Lobomi are increasing every week. More bookings are beginning to come in and we are even seeing some welcome foreign guests popping in on their township walking-tours.

With South Africa now on Covid Level 1, we are all hopeful that it will remain on this level. A new wave is predicted for the months of May and June of the BA.2 Omicron variant x :-(

On the 26th December 2021, at the age of 90, South Africa and the world lost a true icon of peace and reconciliation.

" ...a patriot without equal; a leader of principal and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead."

" ...another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa

" I’m saddened to learn of the death of global sage, human rights leader, and powerful pilgrim on earth … we are better because he was here,”

Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King

" ...a mentor, a friend and a moral compass for me and so many others”.

Barack Obama, former US President