HOPE AT MOHLAKENG’S DOORSTEPS: ASIFIKANGA SIGALELEKILE CAMPAIGN TACKLES COMMUNITY CHALLENGES

By Madali Chibambu.

• Government Brings Hope to Mohlakeng; A door-to-door campaign is underway to uncover and address the community’s most pressing challenges.
• Officials promise real solutions and follow-up support to tackle unemployment, food insecurity, and social ills.
• Residents welcome the initiative, hoping it will restore access to opportunities and lasting support.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development brought hope to the community of Mohlakeng in Randfontein, Western Corridor, through its Asifikanga Sigalelekile Mass Profiling campaign.

The door-to-door initiative, led by the Department’s Sustainable Livelihood unit, aimed to assess the needs of vulnerable households and identify areas for targeted intervention. According to Community Development Supervisor Mapule Nkwe, the campaign goes beyond data collection; it is about building solutions.

“The Asifikanga Sigalelekile mass profiling seeks to address community challenges such as unemployment, food insecurity, lack of skills development, agriculture support, substance abuse, gender-based violence, and more,” explained Nkwe. “This is not a once-off visit. We will return to make follow-ups with every household we engage.”

Mohlakeng was identified as an area of concern due to high unemployment rates, teenage pregnancy, and substance abuse. The team used a War-on-Poverty questionnaire to gather detailed information on each household, including the number of members, schooling status, grant dependency, and skills needed for economic opportunities.

One of the households visited was that of 60-year-old Dolly Nkosi, a single parent who survives on a social grant and rental income from tenants occupying shacks in her yard.

“We are pleased to see government officials visiting us in our homes, and we hope to see positive results,” said Nkosi. “I have three children who passed Grade 10 with excellent marks but could not continue studying because of our financial struggles.”

Nkosi recalled how she and a neighbour once received food parcels, which stopped without explanation. “Now that officials are here, we hope to get answers. If we need to reapply, we will gladly do so,” she added.

The campaign marks another step by the Department to ensure that no community is left behind.