What it takes to be a community superhero
ALBERTVILLE – We chat to Linda Verywey, Albertville's own community hero.
To have its own dedicated superhero is every community’s dream, and for Albertville, that dream has been a reality for quite some time.
Linda Verwey, a name known to most who are vigilant and help secure their communities, has been just the superhero for Albertville, Albertskroon and surrounding areas.
“It all began with a drug house next door four years ago and we were victims of crime before that,” she said.
“At that time, WhatsApp was just launching and I had a little Albertville and Alberskroon group. Long story short, I met our then ward councillor Steve Kotze, who introduced me to a patrol group which I joined,” she said.
This is still part of Verwey’s daily routine. She knows her neighbourhood inside out.
She keeps the community up to date on various, WhatsApp groups.
Verwey said the former ward councillor, Steve Kotze, helped her a lot with figuring out how processes worked and how best to report service delivery issues.
She says she still works quite well with the current ward councillor. She says she understands the difficult work of a ward councillor and wants to assist as far as she can.
“I try to be proactive and teach residents how to report and where to report certain service delivery issues. I am also always willing to help those who have difficulty, like the elderly,” she explained.
“I like to see myself as someone who helps, not so much as a community leader. Maybe it encourages [people] to think that they can make a difference too.”
Verwey said even though she understands that it is the City of Johannesburg’s job to deliver services through the rates and taxes residents pay, she also considers it residents’ responsibility to care for and love their communities.
“The park is my backyard and my responsibility. Give a damn. If you don’t, then don’t complain,” she said. “People need to stop moaning. Find what you are good at and see how you can make a difference doing it.”
Verwey sternly believes that if you do more positive things, you will feel better. It’s about simply being a nice person, she said.
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