Bellville South

Saliswa Oriando Thupha (HOPE Community Health Worker)

Saliswa Thupha was born in the Eastern Cape where she attended primary school, completing High School in the township of Langa following the move of her family to Cape Town.  Saliswa has a strong interest in community work.  After Matric, Saliswa worked as a volunteer in a day clinic gaining broad experience in health issues.  In January 2006, Saliswa completed training as a breast feeding counsellor.  Beginning in June 2007, Saliswa became a HOPE Community Health Worker.  HOPE Cape Town will benefit from her clinic experience, community expertise and her strong belief in the potential for and power of positive change. 

Bellville South Clinic

This big clinic receives approximately 250 patients a day with 20 nursing sisters treat clients in 14 consulting rooms. The 2 full-time doctors focus on the most common illness, that of TB.  Due to the stigma of HIV and Aids, many people in this area are reluctant to be tested for HIV, so the total number of tested clients is not as high as in other HOPE clinics.

Bellville South Community

Today the population of Belleville South is estimated to be 27, 000 inhabitants.  Most residents are from Cape Town or the surrounding areas.  The area was established as a coloured community during the apartheid regime. The area is predominantly coloured (81%) with black Africans (15%). Afrikaans is the dominant language (68%), followed by English (18%) and Xohsa (9%).  Most of the dwellings are houses or brick structures with a yard (54%) with private electricity and water service.  Another 15% of the population live in flats or blocks, usually rented, and approximately 12% have no housing units  Belleville South has 2 high schools, 3 primary schools and serveral creches.  About 40% of the youth do not attend school.  The drop out rate is linked to drug and abuse problems in the community. About 50% of the employed people in Belleville South earn R19, 201-76,800 a year, however, more than 29% earn less then R 19,200.  Other social issues are female violence and prostitution.

Statistics: City of Cape Town Census 2001 at http://www.capetown.gov.za/censusinfo/Census2001

Saliswa

clinic

at work