We became aware of the needs of St Raphaels Crèche through Sam Walker of IThemba Projects. The new classrooms had been built, but the funds had run out and the toddlers and pre-schoolers faced a very cold winter with no glass in the windows and non cemented floors and walls.

Crickmay was able to fund the installation of the glass and assist in funding the cementing of the walls and floors. Mr Philemon Nxele, our Social Projects Coordinator also spent a day at the crèche, fitting doors and finishing walls. Sibongile is a dedicated teacher and she is always willing to make the most of what she has. She has proved herself to be someone worth supporting.

On 23 December 2010, Lindo Kubheka (Crickmay employee), Sibusisiwe Kubheka (her sister) and Siphelele Dlamini (her boyfriend) visited the three main public hospitals in Pietermaritzburg; namely, Northdale, Greys and Edendale to deliver christmas gifts to all the children admitted in their paediatric wards.

A few months ago we saw a need to equip our social project co-ordinator, Philemon Nxele, with a bakkie to enable him to transport materials and tools needed to perform the various tasks needed in his position. The bakkie, which was purchased in April 2010, has been equipped with a metal frame to facilitate the transport of items such as timber planks, ladders, etc. and has been fitted with a lockable metal tool box.

In early 2010, the company took on a project to repair our cleaning lady, Carol’s, home. The main problem was that the roof leaked and the walls were collapsing. After assessing the situation, Philemon Nxele and David Crickmay proposed that a new house be built as the existing structure, supported primarily by wooden poles, had rotted and the problem of a leaking roof was a lot worse than first envisaged.

Crickmay has embraced their social responsibility programmes over the years and 2009 was no different.

On the 24th December 2009, Tatum Reddy accompanied by Reagan, her boyfriend, visited Northdale and Greys Hospitals in an effort to bring Christmas cheer to the children at these hospitals. There were 25 children at Northdale Hospital and 55 children at Greys Hospital. This would be a bleak time for these children, to say the least. 

On the 24th December 2009 Mbali Mahlangu, Moloko Ramohlale and Ngwako Ramohlale (Mbali’s friend and her sister) visited the New Jerusalem Children’s Home at 138 Steyn road in Midrand to deliver presents for the children. New Jerusalem Children’s home provides shelter and care to children who have been disadvantaged by society not through their own doing or wish. It is children who have been abandoned, abused, orphaned, HIV positive and other children who come from poverty stricken families. More information about the home may be found on www.newjerusalem.co.za .

The Pastors of the Church are Gugu and Linda Bengu. They have a pre-school with about 100 children in Sobantu, a poor area in Pietermaritzburg. The children were holding school in a tin building with no cladding or floor. In winter it was dreadfully cold and dusty. With the help of Philemon Nxele, a proper concrete floor was laid and an external contractor was retained to furnish the room with cladding, windows and a tiled floor.

In May 2009 a self help project was initiated by the All Saints United Church in Pietermaritzburg, in conjunction with PADCA (Pietermaritzburg and Districts Care of the Aged), whereby elderly unemployed women in the Tamboville area of Pietermaritzburg are taught the age-old art of weaving and the proceeds go towards supporting their large families. In February 2010, Crickmay began renovating the derelict building in which the women are working, making an impact on the self esteem of the people involved as well as on the community. The property has been fenced in preparation for the next stage of the project, which will be the growing of vegetables.

In 2006, Elaine Downing asked Crickmay to support the Bantabami Trust. Bantabami support children who have been affected and infected by HIV and Aids at different locations in and around the greater Pietermaritzburg area i.e. Ashdown, Plessieslaer, Edendale.

Sobantu is a ministry undertaken by North Hills Church, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. North Hills is led by Kevin Jones and the ministry is extended towards God’s Holy People Ministries led by Gugu Khomalo and her council of two (Linda Bengu and Luca Ngubo). The ministry was founded largely as a result of the transformation movement in South Africa where white churches were encouraged to reach out to poorer black churches in their areas.