Komaggas

The Komaggas Advice Office was established in 1997 by the local development forum.  The Advice Office is a well established organisation and is registered as a Non Profit Organisation (NPO). The advice office is a revival of the Komaggas Rural Advice Group (KRAG) that stopped functioning in 2003 due to lack of funding and other logistical problems. The Local Development Agency (LDA) has since grown to almost 20 staff members which make it difficult to operate in from the small office space it is currently occupying in Komaggas.

The Komaggas Advice Office has been in partnership with SCAT for the past eleven years and has grown into a significant player on the provincial scene, mostly due to the support and guidance of SCAT.

Geographical Area of Work:

The LDA is servicing three communities, Komaggas with an estimated population of approximately 6500 people, Buffelsrivier approximately 2000 people and Soebatsfontein with approximately 1000 people. There is also a call from the community for the integration of Kleinzee into the fold of communities under their aboriginal land claim. Most of these people, after a prolonged period of a false sense of security provided by their proximity to the rich diamond mines have now become unemployed. It is estimated that approximately 65% of the able workforce are without jobs due to the retrenchments and subsequent closures of these mines. With only a few state funded institutions like the local school and the SAPD still providing employment, the LDA has become one of the biggest employers in the communities. Most other income is derived from state and other pensions and grants, which has resulted in most of the male population having to travel far and wide in search of suitable employment.

Focus:

Komaggas advice office has fought hard to change mindsets in the community in order to enhance local socio economic development. The LDA has brought in many investments as well as funding opportunities much against the indifferent attitudes of some of the community leaders who were bent on making it difficult for economic development program to be initiated in the community. To this extent the organisation has managed to establish a club for the elderly, a soup kitchen, sports clubs and are working closely with the local clinic and the Department of Health. The soup kitchen provides daily meals to children and those that are in need. The local school is utilising the services of the advice office, to help with the discipline of the children and to conduct counselling sessions with children and parents. They also are working with the early school leavers to try and minimise juvenile crime and teenage pregnancies.

Below are some of the highlights of the organizations achievements to date:

Capacity Building:

• Two groups of 25 people went through organic vegetable gardening training and support from the advice office to produce quality and nutritious vegetables.
• 13 community members attended the Gender workshop in the past 12 months
• 33 people were taken through a family abuse workshop in the past 12 months
• A youth program was conducted for 9 youths during their schools holidays
• 27 members of the community attended an organic farming workshop facilitated by Surplus People’s project

Job Creation:

• The organisation has 15 staff members consisting of a Project Coordinator, an Administrator, 1 HIV and AIDS activator, a treasurer, post office clerk, 7 vegetable gardeners
•  10 health care workers are employed to assist with home based care 
• The LDA is providing physical and logistical support to 15 home vegetable gardens. They also take responsibility for the community vegetable garden. The LDA donates some of the vegetables to the clinic, HIV/Aids and TB patients. The majority of the food is purchased from supermarkets in Springbok.

Other Projects:

• The LDA are a front runner in the Northern Province area when it comes to gender education and advocacy. As an equal employer, they do have both a HIV and AIDS and gender policy and encourage other CBO’s to do likewise.
• As a para-legal service, the LDA successfully uses the power of legislation to help enforce policy in the greater community. As at the end of 2010, the organisation  had assisted over 2000 members of the community with various para-legal cases ranging from labour disputes, to social grants, to mention but a few.
• The LDA has outreach program aimed at sex workers in and around Springbok funded by Engen. The strategy is to engage truck drivers and these sex workers on prevention and infection of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.  The LDA has also distributed condoms, key rings, small accessories and pamphlets as part of the campaign.

Registration as a Post Office Agent:

In the past, the nearest Post Office was in Springbok, the Komaggas Office took initiative to become an agent for the Post Office so that services can be rendered in the community of Kommagas. The post office is doing well and delivers excellent service to the community. More and more community members are making use of the services from the post office. Telephone accounts, TV licenses and saving accounts services are also available at the post office. The LDA is looking at selling airtime and electricity from the post office in the future.  

Komaggas Advice Centre
P.O. Box 374, KOMAGGAS, 8242
Tel: 027 821 1546
Fax: 027 821 1598
Contact: Andy Pienaar