3.10 Social Development
3.10.2 Vulnerable Groups
Required Existing Required Existing
Abaqulusi Municipality 25 104 7 45
eDumbe Municipality 10 71 3 27
Nongoma Municipality 33 98 12 49
Ulundi Municipality 27 158 7 66
uPhongolo Municipality 15 101 5 42
A backlog analysis (households at a distance further that 5km from a secondary school were considered to be a backlog and every 8000 people constituting the need for another secondary school) was undertaken that indicate the backlog as per the table 38 above.
Table 38 hereunder indicates the distribution of secondary schools as well as the backlog mapping with regard to access to secondary schools:
3.10.1.4 SAFETY,SECURITY AND JUSTICE
The distribution of police stations is provided in the following map. A backlog analysis map indicating the accessibility of households to police stations is also shown. The standards that were applied were each household further than a distance of 20km from a police station was considered not to be accessible to such a facility with every 25000 cumulative people not accessible to a police station indicating the need for a facility as shown in the table 40 below.
TABLE 40:POLICE STATIONS IN THE ZDM
Source: Census 2011
Zululand District Municipality has gone extra mile to ensure that widows, orphans and people living with disabilities are in the map and are fully recognized and involved in all social and economic development programmes by providing them with a platform and a budget to cater for their projects and moreover, have their special celebration day known as widows, orphans and disability day. Typical activities include:
o Women’s Summit and Women’s Day o Youth Summit
o Quality of Life Forum 3.10.2.1 DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN
The aim of the Women’s summit is to empower women citizens through developmental information dissemination by ZDM and other development external organs. This is a platform where women share information and enter into dialogues on issues pertaining to their development. The topics for discussion cover business opportunities, self-help programmes/projects, and education on gender-based violence, women’s health, HIV/AIDS and Local Economic Development (LED) initiatives, etc.
These summits have great effect in improving the quality of the lives of women of Zululand District Municipality. Women also do seize business opportunities availed through the municipal LED programmes to alleviate poverty.
3.10.2.2 CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES
Zululand district is rural and poor with high HIV/AIDS infections rate therefore most of the children in the district come from indigent homes some of which are child headed. The Honourable Mayor therefore initiated a Play and Party programme for children of Zululand whereby she brings together over 5 000 children from the 5 ZDM local municipalities and brings various playing equipment and set them in a sports field for children to truly experience being children and play. Each child is then given a year end (Christmas) gift in the form of toys. Thereafter children are treated to a party with entertainment and a feast with the Mayor.
3.10.2.3 SENIOR CITIZENS
There are programs for the Senior citizens whereby 6 000 of them together to meet with the council annually at an event to be addressed by the Mayor on issues pertaining to their general welfare and they are afforded an opportunity to also discussed their social issues as well. This meeting takes place in December. The mayor gives them gifts and has lunch with them.
There are also community LED ward projects which assist the communities to start self-help projects which may be blocks making, poultry farming, vegetable gardens, sewing, etc. This programme has proven to have a great impact on the lives of people of Zululand.
3.10.2.4 WIDOWS AND ORPHANS
The Council’s concern about the welfare of widows and orphans prompted it to start a programme in order to assist widows to improve their lives through self-help projects.
Zululand district municipality implements programmes which were designed and are targeting widows, orphans and people living with disabilities to ensure that their welfare and health is equal to that of their fellow citizens. These citizens are equally recognized and are involved in all social and economic development programmes by providing them with a platform and a budget to cater for their projects, and moreover, have their annual special days where they come together to share with the municipality and with themselves their experiences of life and ideas. A Quality of Life Forum has been formed with representation from local Municipal forums of Gender, Disability, Elderly and Children.
3.10.2.5 DISABILITY PROGRAMMES
Working with organizations such as CREATE has been beneficial to the Municipality;
workshop programmes for Disability Forums of the Local Municipalities are periodically arranged in order for people living with disabilities to get exposed to their rights and opportunities relating to projects that they may start and opportunities for employment. On their special day, the municipality stages an event where the Council meets with them and assist with handing out wheelchairs and other equipment as to make their lives easy.
3.10.2.6 SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INDIGENT
Like many other Districts, the majority of the population in the Zululand District Municipality is indigent (approximately 80%) and that means a small revenue base. Therefore, a significant portion of the budget goes towards infrastructure development with very little revenue generated.
National Government Policy derives its standard for free basic water supply from that of the World Health Organisation (25l/p/p/day) which is regarded as sufficient to promote healthy living. The ZDM has an average household rate of 8 persons, meaning that the standard is equal to 6 kilolitres per household per month.