Community Services
Mr Kwenza Khumalo
DIRECTOR: COMMUNITY/SOCIAL SERVICES
The Strategic Manager of Community Development and Social Services oversees and ensures the smooth running of Library Services, Protection Services and deals with Housing Development. Richmond Library is affiliated with Provincial Library services. There are about 2000 users. It provides the following functions :
Community
It provides comprehensive information to the community. This is done by issuing and returning books to users. The books are issued to users who are members of the library. Membership is free.
Schools
The Library Services also help Schools with materials that they do not have. Learners are given guidance in terms of how to use the Library. Moreover, the Library Services assist Schools with readership programs and also coordinate and conduct user education when Schools visit the Library. The Library Services also provide services that have to do with photocopying and printing. The constant circulation of materials in the Richmond area enables the libraries to provide the public with new reading material on a regular basis.
The Community Services Department plays a pivotal role in enhancing the social well-being and socio-economic development of the Richmond community. It provides essential services such as public safety, community development, cultural promotion, and the management of key facilities that serve residents across all wards.
A detailed breakdown of the functions of the Richmond Community Services Department is provided below.
Library Services
Richmond Municipality operates four libraries strategically located across the area:
Operating Hours
Our library’s operations are funded by the Department of Arts & Culture through an annual grant that allocated to the municipality.
Our Libraries are thriving to be accessible to the community at large through a number of programs and activities we are providing, this ranges from library information session days, access to Internet services and trainings for community on usage of computers and Internet.
Law Enforcement and Security Services
The Law enforcement and security services within the focuses on traffic policing, enforcing municipal by-laws, and crime prevention, but not criminal investigations, which are handled by the South African Police Service. A detailed breakdown of the services is provided below.
Motor Licensing / Registration Services
The Motor Licensing/ Registration Services in the municipality aim to regulate vehicles on roads, ensure legal ownership, and maintain a record of vehicle details and owner information in line with the legal prescripts. A detailed breakdown of the services is provided below.
Youth & Sports
The establishment of the Youth unit in the municipality was informed by the National Youth Commission Act, the National Youth Policy Framework, the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Development Agency Act. These frameworks guide all the government institutions in their youth work and all activities and programs aim at improving the lives of young people in the country. The unit partners with schools, institutions of higher learning, corporate organisations, government departments and non-governmental departments.
The unit is responsible for :
• Coordinating and facilitating youth programs, including sporting activities.
• Facilitating and promoting youth development through partnering with organisations that work with youth to ensure socio-economic development, career development as well as personal growth and development.
• Facilitating sports development in all seven wards of Richmond Municipality.
Special Programs
The mandate of the Special Programs Unit is to promote, facilitate, coordinate and monitor the realization of the rights of women, men, youth, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities. A detailed breakdown of the special programs implemented in the municipality is provided below.
Community Facilities
The municipality has various community facilities which include libraries, community halls, sports fields, parks, and recreation centers all managed by the Community Services Department. Below is a listing of community facilities.
Disaster Management Services
The municipality’s disaster management services encompass proactive measures like prevention and preparedness, as well as reactive measures during and after disasters, including response, relief, recovery, and rehabilitation. Below are the Key Functions of the Disaster Management Services.