by Amo Tshabalala

From last year’s project of the access road that was in very bad condition which is now being fixed, the good news is that the mine read my story and decided to ask for a meeting to meet with me and the Sefikile Community Council as the mine is well aware that we are working together to take the community forward by developing it. At the meeting, the council made the mine aware that I was busy writing another story about cracked houses caused by the mine as we never experienced a problem with cracked houses before. On the 30th of August 2019, we spoke about a number of things including the project that was supposed to have been given to the Sefikile community but was never delivered. We discussed some projects and how they be managed going forward, including:

1. Salvage yard
2. Land fill
3. Organic farming

Eventually, the mine promised that everything that was meant for us will be granted before end of this year. It is all written in paper that it is what is exactly going to happen as there is proof that all those projects belong to the Sefikile Community and that it is part of the SLP that the mine need to comply with.

As for the main road that was in a bad condition, there is an internal road project and the good thing about it is that it is Amo who is monitoring it since from last. As activists taking our communities to the level where it should be is our vision and our mission is for us to be there when all is happening, witnessing it all being a success.

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The ACT Southern Africa Regional Forum (SARF) is a shared platform for ACT Alliance members in Southern Africa, whose objective is to increase the effectiveness and impact of development, humanitarian and advocacy work in the region. The 2019 meeting took place on 3-4 September in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where delegates from faith-based organisations and churches in Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi looked deeply at how to increase their preparedness for a coordinated regional response to disasters. Discussions were deepened with input from the SDG Center for Africa based in Rwanda, the National University for Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, and the ACT Alliance teams from Nairobi and Geneva.

The delegates spent some time updating internal matters, and the leadership of Ashmeer Joseph was appreciated as he was returned as the Regional Chair. For more information, you can reach him on director@elcsads.org.za
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ACT Ubumbano network participants also actively engage with the Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN), which has just concluded its People’s Summit parallel to the SADC Governmental Summit.

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ACT Ubumbano stands in solidarity with those who are suffering from the violence in South Africa. We share the view expressed in this statement by SADC CNGO, and call for action to end the violence and find long-lasting solutions.
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ACT Ubumbano is a network of Southern African and European organisations working for social justice. Among other strategies, we regularly convene platforms and spaces for conversations to explore new approaches to social justice work.

We are looking for the services of a Rapporteur to assist in capturing on record the discussions and decisions of our meetings. These meetings vary in size and form, from board-like discussions involving up to 15 people, to workshops and conferences with up to 60 people. The first of these takes place on 16-17 October 2019.

The following represent essential qualifications in a service provider:

1. Fluency in spoken and written English
2. Ability to accurately take minutes/capture verbal discussions in written form
3. Familiarity with the language and concepts used in social justice and development discourse
4. Discretion and integrity to keep confidentiality of sensitive discussions
5. Experience in reporting or taking minutes

Given that most of the convenings take place in Gauteng, physical location in the province will be an advantage.

Interested individuals who fit the criteria above are invited to submit their bids by email only to ashley@actubumbano.org by no later than 13h00 on Wednesday 11 September 2019.

Each bid should include a brief cover letter with the following:

• An explanation of your suitability for the position,
• An outline of how you manage the function of reporting,
• Your timelines for delivery of a report/minutes (for example, how long does it take you to type up a two-day meeting)
• Your fee structure.

Please include an extract or example of your previous work.

For more information on ACT Ubumbano, please visit our website at www.actubumbano.org