Launch of the Beaufort West Thusong Service Centre

- by Marlene Hendricks

Beaufort West, 9 August 2008

Mayors Ruckeya Meyer, Juliet Jonas and Magdelena Benjamin	Mayor Prince getting tested

The long-awaited launch of the Beaufort West Thusong Service Centre took place on Saturday, 9 August 2008. The launch coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the women’s march that took place in 1956. 

With a fully occupied and branded centre the festivities took place with all Mayors of the Central Karoo in attendance. All the tenants of the centre including SASSA and Radio Gamkaland had information tables at the event.  All government departments were also in attendance and showcased their respective services in the form of exhibitions.  Dance and music groups from the area entertained 750 community members that came from all walks of life throughout the Karoo. 

“I feel cold with all the woman Mayors, Directors and Pastors on stage,” said the Mayor of Central Karoo, Mr Alderman Truman Prince, in his welcoming address.  He further acknowledged the women and their role and urged them to stand up for their rights.

In his address the chairperson for Beaufort West Thusong, Mr David Maans, also paid tribute to the women who marched in 1956.  He quoted Dr Mandela who said in his speech in 1994 “we cannot have total freedom if the women are not totally free from all forms of oppression”. He further reiterated the fact that women must free themselves from the shackles of self undermining, lack of confidence and the lack of trusting each other as women.  He finally gave a synopsis of the history of the Multi-purpose Community Centre that has now officially being launched as the Thusong Service Centre.

The Mayor Juliet Jonas also referred in her speech to the women of 1956 and she put emphasis on the fact that the march was attended by women of all races that brought freedom and democracy to women.  She encouraged the women to take part in the existing government programmes to better their lives. She made special references to the Thusong Service Centre and encouraged the community to visit the centre and to access the services, to take accountability of the centre, and to own it.

Mayor Jonas said that the name 'Thusong', meaning in Sesotho "a place where people can get help”, indeed fits the centre perfectly.  She finally thanked the executive committee for their hard work and dedication towards the centre.

Marlene Hendricks of the Government Communication Information System (GCIS) gave the key messages around Women’s Month and also urged the community to access and utilise their respective Thusong Service Centres.
After the formal speeches, the dignitaries and attendees were taken to the information tables and various offices of the service providers, especially were they were busy with the building of the studios for Radio Gamkaland.  A highlight of the event was when all the dignitaries and the women went to the services of the Department of Health where they had blood, breast, sugar level tests and pap smears.

The centre management in collaboration with GCIS and other social partners will engage in the “movement for good” and try to enhance the moral and ethic values based on the eight values of the Heart lines as outlined and showcased on SABC 2.

The community was treated with a nice lunch, and entertained with cultural items from HM Dlikidla.  Gift packs with flags, key rings, literature, and bags were distributed to the community at the event.