R3.5 million allocated to NHW project to stop spread of Covid-19

On 11 July 2020, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, launched the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Safety Improvement Volunteers Project with Covid-19 relief measures in Khayelitsha. This was marked by the hand over 15 starter kits to NHW structures.

Prior to their deployment, the qualifying NHW structures received training from doctors without borders (MSF). Please see photos attached and link for the Facebook live recording below.

The launch was attended by officials from SAPS, the City of Cape Town, CPFs and NHWs and was simultaneously held over Microsoft Teams to include all stakeholders whilst ensuring that social distancing protocols were adhered to.

Minister Fritz said, “The deployment of the NHWs aims to provide health advocacy through the promotion of social distancing and utilising PPE. At its core, it aims to instill behavioral change by increasing civil compliance with the five golden rules of hygiene at places of congregation including shops, health centers, recreational areas, SASSA payout points and relief points, transport interchanges and schools.”

This project is born out the Western Cape Government’s whole of government targeted hotspot strategy which includes numerous programmes aimed at creating awareness and reducing the spread of Covid-19, in densely populated areas most affected by Covid-19. The Department of Community has been deemed the anchor Department in Khayelitsha, whilst working closely with various levels of government, provincial departments and community stakeholders.

Minister Fritz said, “The programme itself is a pilot, projected to run for six months and will be reviewed at its 3-month mark in Covid-19 hotspot areas. The implementation period will be between 1 July 2020 and 31 December 2020, subject to need and Departmental funding. Ensuring that we stop the spread of Covid-19 is our top priority and we have allocated approximately R3.5 million to achieve this end through our NHW deployments.”

Minister Fritz added, “The 15 qualifying NHWs in Khayelitsha should feel an immense sense of pride. Not just any NHW was approved for the programme. The chairpeople here today know this as their applications were scrutinized by a panel, consisting of officials from SAPS, the Department and the City of Cape Town, on 24 June. Their applications had to show that they were accredited, were fully aware of Covid-19, were able to support schools, were supported by SAPS and their CPF and are currently assisting in the fight against Covid-19.”

The programme will later be expanded to support an additional 23 NHWs in the Eastern, Tygerberg, Klipfontein and Southern hotspot areas. In total, 42 accredited and screened NHWs will be supported with funding.

Minister Fritz said, “An important aspect of this project is that NHWs will be deployed in an evidence-driven and data-led approach as deployments areas will be identified through a community mapping process which will involve key stakeholders. It is important to note that the process of identifying points of congregation is community-led and not top-down. We value the contribution of community stakeholders who best understand the lived reality of Khayelitsha and her challenges.”

Minister Fritz continued, “Crucial to this deployment is ensuring that our NHW members are accountable and competent. We have in place a stringent three-tiered monitoring and evaluation system consisting of: 

• Level 1: NHW Chairpeople/Co-coordinator who will be responsible for the patrolling, placement planning and reporting of lags. They must maintain daily logs;
• Level 2: The head of the placement institution is responsible for verifying the logs daily or may delegate their representative to do so and should inform the NHW Chairperson and Department accordingly; and
• Level 3: unannounced Departmental visits will ensure monitoring and utilizing a tool template provided by the Department.”

Useful links

• To view the Facebook livestream, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/MinisterAlbertFritz

• The Whole of Government approach comprises of six responses. Details of the Western Cape’s targeted hotspot plan can be viewed here:  https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/news/western-cape-s-whole-government-targeted-hotspot-plan-we-need-save-lives-present-and-future

• For further clarity on the conditions of lockdown, please see the following FAQs: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/frequently-asked-questions

Please see English audio clip here: https://clyp.it/tn0r5yre