Week ahead 16 – 20 April 2018

Week ahead

16 – 20 April 2018

In death, she has demonstrated that our many differences along political party and racial lines and the numerous disputes we may have are eclipsed by our shared desire to follow her lead in building a just, equitable and caring society. Hers was a life of service. It was a life of compassion. – President Cyril Ramaphosa eulogy at the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela funeral

Monday 16 April

• SECTION27, the Treatment Action Campaign, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Stop Stock Outs project will meet to discuss the ongoing crisis in relation to medicine shortages in the North West province and how to resolve the issues in order to limit the damage to patients.
• Senior Communications Officer Ngqabutho Mpofu and Head of Fundraising Elinor Kern will be attending a Raith Reflection and Learning workshop at the offices of the Ford Foundation in Melrose Estate.  The workshop will look at how civil society has been a contributor to the recent increase in accountability; and what is next for civil society.
• Community Mobiliser, Solanga Milambo will attend a community and stakeholders meeting over the Non-Renewal of the Ndlovu Care Group Contract in Limpopo.  The group has been providing Antiretroviral Treatment to patients in the area paid for by the Limpopo Department of Health. They have now been told to reduce the number of patients they serve by 3800 patients. The non-renewal of the contract jeopardises the lives of these patients and the meeting, taking place at Philadelphia Hospital in Groblersdal in Sekhukhune District in Limpopo, aims to help resolve the impasse between the provincial department and the non-profit service provider.

Tuesday 17 April

• SECTION27’s education team will meet with advocacy group, Create in Estcourt to discuss post provisioning for hostel mothers for learners with disabilities. In addition, the team will meet with a School Governing Body to discuss its rights education requirements.
• Community Mobiliser, Solanga Milambo will visit Makangwane Secondary School and Sepoeng Primary School in Limpopo for further details on their infrastructure issues. Learners at Makangwane School were reported to be learning under trees as a result of poor infrastructure. SECTION27 has since written to the MEC for Education Ishmael Kgetjepe to request that he prioritise the provision of classrooms at this school.

Wednesday 18 April

• Community Mobiliser, Solanga Milambo will conduct sanitation and infrastructure monitoring visits to Molopo and Lesetsi Primary Schools in Sekhukhune district.
• Community mobiliser Sifiso Nkala will be facilitating a Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights workshop in Ermelo Correctional Centre for the inmates.

Thursday 19 April

• Sifiso Nkala will visit Lindile High school which has been closed by the department since the beginning of the year due to poor infrastructure. Sifiso will have a meeting with the School Governing Body and the principal to establish what is required to bring the school back to functionality.

Friday 20 April 2018

• Executive Director Mark Heywood will begin a gruelling nine day off-road journey from Johannesburg to Scottsburgh as part of the JoBerg2C cycle race.  For every kilometre of the 910 kilometre journey, we will be asking supporters to donate money to SECTION27 so we can continue our work.
• Members of the SECTION27 team will meet Lou-Ellen Martin, Director for Southern, Central and West Africa Branch at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. The purpose of the visit is to update the director on the latest developments within the civil society sector in South Africa, but more specifically our work.
• Renowned spin doctor, Chris Vick will help members of the SECTION27 team to hone their media interview skills particularly focusing on radio and television interviews.