The Northsider has repeatedly reported on cleanup operations run by local residents associations, with work carried out by the Toolbox team.
The Toolbox Hub is a community upliftment project run by Bethany House Trust in Krugersdorp, that aims to uplift and empower the poor in areas of hopelessness throughout the West Rand. Its focus is on job creation and skills development.
According to Andrew Holdsworth who heads up the Toolbox Hub, it is all about restoring pride in the people who participate in the project.
“We work with various companies and institutions to provide gainful employment for the people in our programmes,” he says.
“It certainly is not a charity in the traditional sense. Nobody just gets anything. Our teams utilise the skills that they have and work to earn an honest day’s living.”
The Toolbox Hub consists of five sectors. Its first initiative started in 2021, when they managed to strike a deal with the wildly popular Cowboy Town venue in Krugersdorp, where they deployed six people as security guards.
This soon grew to 19 people deployed in various roles at the venue. They soon branched out into other sectors.
The five key areas are security, building, agriculture and environment, arts, and the food industry.
“We identify prospective participants through our various programmes with Bethany House,” says Andrew. “They receive training and are deployed according to their level of skill.”
Through the Toolbox Hub, local residents associations have managed to conduct a multitude of cleanup operations in open spaces and greenbelts throughout the Northside.
According to Willowbrook, Ruimsig, Amarosa, and Poortview (WRAP) Residents Association chairperson Martin van der Westhuizen many of the projects taken on throughout the Northside would not have been possible without the Toolbox teams.
“We see it as hitting two birds with one stone,” he says.
“We are securing and beautifying our public spaces, and at the same time providing work for people who need it.”
Van der Westhuizen adds that appointing the Toolbox team to carry out the work ensures that money is spent effectively and efficiently.
“Their rates are reasonable, and they carry out their duties with pride. The Toolbox teams do a fantastic job every time, plus as residents, we know that the money we spent, in addition to getting the job done, goes toward a worthwhile cause.”
