Social development office without staff, services non-existent

A community situated in Mafefe has complained to Polokwane Observer about an office of the Social Development Department that has been without personnel for two weeks now due to the unavailability of water in the building.
The community complain that the offices is inadequately staffed and without the necessary resources at the best of times, serving the whole of the Mafefe area with only two social workers and two community development officers..
“You can imagine the community not being able to access the said essential services for such a period, and we are not certain when it will end,” the complainant said.
“As the community we have been going there only to find the security officers who inform us that the office has temporarily shut down due to unavailability of water in the offices and staff residence.”
The complainant said members of the community also assisted the staff to kill a huge snake in the yard of the offices, and they come across things like these “often.”
Adéle van der Linde, Spokesperson for the department answered:
“The department is aware of the water situation which is caused by a faulty pump and it is currently being attended to. The shortage of staff and resources is something which is experienced all over the province and not just in Mafefe.”
She said she was relieved that the snake had finally been caught, as the area is a vast rural area. She said: “Snakes will come and go as they please through the fence around the perimeter of the offices, as is experienced all over in rural areas.”

Story: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com