Since the disbandment of the Imizamo Yethu Patrollers (neighbourhood watch) there has been a general concern among all residents for their safety and the safety of their properties. The Patrollers have been active for almost seven years and had an immensely positive effect on the township as a whole. However the death of several of their members in the past two years was one of the main reasons why these brave volunteers could not continue this service to the community.

This situation forced us to make sure that our property will not be seen as a soft target by criminals and hence several measures were taken to increase our security. Five new 24-hour surveillance cameras were installed inside and outside our property. In addition, the fence was also strengthened in the most vulnerable areas after it was breached two weeks ago and some items (clothing) were stolen from our washing line.

Security is a 24 x 7 concern and we are confident that with God's help and these measures our property will be a safer and more secure place now.

This work was done for us by Jonathan Smith's company from Hout Bay, Smith & Co Fencing & Security (071 631 8076) on very short notice, only days away from Christmas. Thank you Jonathan!

The Open Day held on Saturday 2nd December 2023 went very well. We were privileged to host some of our local friends and also to have been blessed with the company of the St Peter's Anglican Church's new minister, Reverend Miseka Mapukata. It was a real honor for us to have been able to enjoy her company. Right from the start St Peter's played a pivotal role in the establishment of the HBCCA thirty year's ago.

One of the highlights of the day was the session on 'Self Defense' by Ullie Bergmer.

Ullie lives in Hout Bay and has been involved in a German Government sponsored initiative,  'Peace Development Project' which was launched in South Africa at the time of the 1994 Elections. Ullie shared some very practical tips and was much enjoyed by everyone.

Thank you Ullie!

We were privileged to have had a full team at this year's Dinner. Lesley McCall, our Chairlady could not attend last year's dinner due to health challenges. Marion Franke was also able to attend after spending many weeks in hospital earlier this year.

This is always a very special event for everyone where for an hour or two we could enjoy each other's company and reflect back on the highs and lows of the past year. We have mentioned before that to run any non-profit is not for the faint-hearted (sissies ;-)) especially in a South African township.

What a privilege to be part of such a hard-working and dedicated team!

Thank you Lord!

TeboComputers and Iziko Training closed their year off on a high note with almost a hundred certificates that were issued this year to students. These certificates comprised of Alison Online College certificates, Iziko Training certificates for Computer Literacy, Barista Skills, Customer Care and Waiter Training. Top quality training is available on their doorsteps of more than 50,000 men and women from Imizamo Yethu and surrounding communities.

A record number of students received training this year which makes Iziko Lobomi Centre one of the leading community centres in Cape Town in soft skills training. Not in their wildest dreams have any of our founding fathers and mothers ever visualised such achievements!

A TEAM EFFORT OF MAGNITUDE

However it is important to note that this was only made possible by a dedicated team effort. This team comprised of our office staff, Bridgette Mangcu and Andiswa Sibamba, external service providers such as Tebo Backward from TeboComputers supported by Gartner SA (Pty) Ltd and champion external sponsor, the Department of Social Development.

Thank you to all of you for making it possible for the HBCCA to deliver this priceless service to our people!

Bridgette Mangcu, our Centre Manageress, has a well worked out holistic treatment programme for our elderly men and women as well as for staff, volunteers and other regular visitors to Iziko Lobomi.

Her programme includes all the elements needed for a healthy lifestyle: (1) daily healthy, balanced meals (2) exposure to lots of fresh air and sunlight (3) regular exercising and meaningful leisure activities (4) spiritual growth opportunities (5) guidance on use and misuse of substances like alcohol, cigarettes and drugs (6) help in access to medical care and most importantly (7) lots of tender, love and care. 

In a nutshell:

PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE - Meeting human needs through loving deeds!

In 2022 we had to make quite an intensive effort to 'bird-proof' the inside of our hall against a number of starlings that decided to to make Iziko Lobomi their new residence. We are still fighting this battle with these creative birds that keep finding new places to enter the hall.

Little did we know that a similar new problem of new 'invaders' was waiting for us outside.

For several months we have been watching how large rats, attracted by refuse dumped on our pavement for collection by the local authority, were creating more and more tunnels in the terrace of Iziko Lobomi.

We were naively hoping that it was only a temporary phenomenon but after awhile came to the realisation that we will need to do something 'constructively' to discourage these creatures in their destructive habits.

With the help of an eager team of local men we constructed a brick containment area and filled all the rat holes and covered the embankment with bird wire to prevent further future tunneling.

The end result was a much neater and cleaner 'dumping area' and we are confident that our rat invaders will get the 'message' ;-)

LEARNING EVENT - 28  June 2023

A very successful Learning Event was held at the end of June. Despite the fact that it was a cold, winter evening, students and residents supported it enthusiastically in large numbers.

This event gives the Learning Centre Team an opportunity to promote the Learning Centre and to showcase the achievements of students. A lot of hard work goes in behind the scenes to make a success of such an event but when one sees the appreciation of the attendees, it makes it doubly worth the effort.

We continue to see new men and women from all walks of life, registering as students and enrolling in courses. Here are only a few of the titles of courses for which certificates were issued on the evening:

Becoming a Professional Barista - The Basics x 3

Elderly Care and Caring for the Disabled x 3

CCTV Operator Training Course x 2

CPR, AED and First Aid x 1

ISO 14001:2015 - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) x 1

Customer Service Skills x 1

We regularly receive feedback of former students who managed to find jobs as a result of their studies they did at the Centre.

'How to prepare for a job interview' was the theme of this event which was presented by Tebo Backward. Tebo do technology literacy training in our main computer room for adults and school children and oversees the staff in the Learning Centre.

Members of the HBCCA gathered together for the Association's 29th Annual General Meeting on the 31st May 2023

New Secretary and Vice-Secretary

Due to Marion Franke's recent illness and deteriorating health it was proposed at the meeting that she be relieved of her duties as Secretary which she has faithfully performed for twenty nine years! Marion played a key role in the establishment of the Association in 1993. She is only stepping down as official Secretary but will still form part of the management team.

This is a very sad occasion but we are very fortunate to have a young, competent generation who are ready to be the new flag-bearers. Marion's position will now be filled by Bridgette Mangcu who has been serving as Office Administrator and Centre Manageress for more than ten years. Bridgette previously served as Vice-Secretary and this position will now be filled by Andiswa Sibamba. Andiswa has been involved with the HBCCA for more than four years and assists Bridgette with her daily duties in the office as volunteer.

The HBCCA Executive Management Committee will now look as follows:

Lesley McCall (Chairperson), Pastor Ncedo Ndongeni (Vice-Chairperson), Bridgette Mangcu (Secretary), Andiswa Sibamba (Vice-Secretary) and Hennie Jacobs (Treasurer)

The third DSD group finished their training at the begining of June. A total of 25 men and women had the privilege to do this training so far this year. The HBCCA hope that more funds will be made available to do a few more groups this year.

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
    Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    Lord Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
    they are ever praising you.

Kim Conley from the Amoyo Dancing Group Amoyo arranged for a visit of the Chinese Consulate in Cape Town. A delegation comprising of the Consulate General Mr You Wenze, Ms Chen Qing from the 'SA Soong Ling Foundation' and Mr Cameron Gugmore, head of the ANC of Western Cape visited Iziko Lobomi on Saturday 20th May 2023. Everyone that was privileged to attend this event was entertained with Chinese music and lovely dancing by local Amoyo and visitng Chinese dancers. The delegation also brought with them a large amount gifts for the elderly which was much appreciated.

We were privileged to receive a visit of three ladies from the Christ Church Constantia on Thursday the 4th May 2023. They are from left to right:

Liz Vincent, Carol-Ann Lawrence and Jill Buchanan

Carol-Ann heads up the pastoral outreach portfolio at Christ Church and connected us to several other people in their congegration namely Jeremy Smith and his wife Robyn, Sarah Fenton. Sarah invited youth from Imizamo Yethu to join their church on a hike and picnic on Youth Day, the 16th of June.

Christ Church Constantia partnered with the HBCCA exactly a year ago and this friendship on the other side of the mountain is very special to us indeed!

Marion Franke (far right), our Welfare worker and Secretary, was admitted to hospital on Monday the 13th March after she experienced sudden weakness and mental confusion. Since then she had three operations to deal with an issue of bleeding on her brain. The last operation was on Thursday the 30th of March and she seems to be recovering well (03/04/23).

For many people in Imizamo Yethu and Hout Bay, Marion is their 'Mother Theresa' and it feels strange to see her now in a hospital bed. We are all trusting that the Lord will stretch out His hand and provide her with the necessary strength and healing to bring her to full recovery. Our prayers are also for her family during this time.

Marion is seen in this photograph with Lesley McCall (HBCCA Chairperson). Lesley is currently receiving treatment for cancer but is staying strong and positive.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

The Iziko Lobomi 'A-TEAM' that is running with the DSD Project.

From lefft to right:

Andiswa Sibamba (Office Assistant) Tebo Backward (TeboComputers) Bridgette Mangcu (Centre Manageress) and Hisland Makenke (Sewing Instructor)

During December last year, Bridgette and Andiswa submitted a request/proposal to the Department of Social Development (DSD) for funding of various proposed projects. For a full six weeks they waited anxiously to hear if the application was successful and their patience was rewarded on the 8th of February 2023 when they were informed that it was indeed successful!

Since then the funds have been released and the ball started rolling in all seriousness. Bridgette is assisted by Andiswa Sibamba who has been working in Bridgette's office as volunteer for almost three years.

Contained in the proposal submitted to DSD was a programme for the training of 24 men and women, currently unemployed, with the personal potential to be developed and to benefit from purposeful, specific training. Eight has already received their training and the next eight are currently (03/04/23) doing their training.

The HBCCA is privileged to have been chosen to provide this training and sincerely thankful to the DSD for trusting us with this important assignment.

Kathryn Byrnes (left) from Valley Church, Hout Bay offered to do fundraising for the HBCCA, one day a week, as volunteer. The HBCCA has never had the luxury of a dedicated person to do  fundraising for us and accepted her offer with open hands.

Kathryn's first project will be to find sponsors of our Solar Energy Project. To have a proper solar energy system installed will require an additional R200 - R300,000 over and above what we already have. This will be a huge task but she is a very experienced lady in this field, and we have full confidence that she will be up to the task and bring many sponsors in for us.

Thank You Kathryn!

After our December 2022 Newsletter we received another R2,000 donation towards this project. This money will be used for the purchasing of artificial grass at a later stage. We were fortunate to have had an on-site meeting with the local Town Council Representative during which a request was made for him to obtain permission for his department to pave the pavement facing the mural with tar. This will enable us to go full steam ahead to do fundraising for artificial grass on all the areas currently painted green. We hope to hear from him within this month.

We would like to do some further painting on the main wall but need additional funding for this. More contributions will be much appreciated! To make your contribution, please click this link...

Rykie Smit from the Hout Bay International School paid us a very welcome visit on our open day in December 2022.

The local council Representative having coffee with Hennie Jacobs. He has been serving in this position for almost year and this was his first visit to Iziko Lobomi.

We were privileged to receive visits from longtime friends and supporters at the beginning of the year. We also received news from supporters further abroad and would like to share it with our broader Iziko Lobomi family. Do you also have news to share with us? Please let us know!

At the end of January we received a surprise visit from Sarah and Greg Largier from Sydney, Australia. They lived in Hout Bay previously before moving to Australia a couple of years ago.

It is always so heartwarming when people keep supporting us after they have moved out of Hout Bay. To them, the love for the Imizamo Yethu people and community is what is important to them and it meant so much for us to show them firsthand how these people benefit from our Centre.

Oscar and Phyllis Visagie spent some time with Hennie Jacobs in the Breederiver Valley beginning of February. They were the main driving force behind the fundraising efforts in Australia that made it possible for the HBCCA to build three care rooms in 2009. These rooms were originally used to care for HIV infected men and women but after the introduction of antiretroviral medication, these people could live normal lives without any special care. These rooms are currently rented out to needy elderly people who can't find accommodation elsewhere. These people also provide company and assistance for our caretaker who also lives on the property.

Clive and Dorothy Lindsay visited us at the end of February. They have lived in Hout Bay for many years but moved to Infanta a couple years ago. They have been supporters for many, many years and it was a real pleasure for us to show them around and to give them a first-hand update of all the activities at the Centre.

Kiana Tahbaz sent us a beautiful picture of her almost two-year old baby girl, Carla. Kiana and Milad lives in Germany and started supporting Iziko Lobomi after a visit to the Centre while doing a township walking tour in February 2020. They have been to Cape Town several times and we'll post some pictures of the family when they come for their next visit - hopefully in 2024!

Iziko Lobomi is privileged to have the company of the most lovable cat one can imagine!

Nelson, a tomcat of approximately 11 years of age, made Iziko Lobomi his residence almost ten years ago. Nobody knows where he came from, just moved in quietly one day.

Before Nelson's arrival we had a big problem with mice and rats in the Centre which resulted in large bills for 'Rat and Mice Poison' to keep these creatures at bay. Since Nelson's arrival, we never had to buy anymore poison. All our doors have a small cat opening at the bottom which allows Nelson to do his rounds when everyone are sleeping.

Nelson is also a very sociable cat. There is almost not a meeting or event where you won't see his welcome presence.