Customer relations has a new manager

Andries Nkabinde was recently introduced as the new customer relations manager of the KwaThema Customer Care Centre.

His contract was effected as of February 1, and Nkabinde says he is confident of his new role of “providing services to the community and following the Batho Pele principles.”

According to the manager, customer relations department works as a walk-in office for people to raise their concerns or problems they are experiencing.

“We link residents with the relevant department depending on their problem, it can be housing, electricity or water etc,” explains Nkabinde.

As a resident of KwaThema himself, Nkabinde has already identified challenges facing the community which he has put at the top of his to-do-list.

Illegal dumping is one of his priorities.

Nkabinde discussed plans to start a process of educating people about illegal dumping, with the aim of working towards a clean KwaThema.

Housing is another area which is regarded as high priority by Nkabinde, saying “we are aware of the housing crisis caused by backlogs and other factors.”

However the one plan which has a time frame is changing KwaThema from being regarded as a farm as it currently is, to being a township.

That process is expected to be complete by July, and Nkabinde is confident it will contribute to the business development of the area.

Sport development, and education will also take centre stage as Nkabinde hopes these can assist in keeping young people away from drugs, which are ruining many young lives in the township.

This is not the first time Nkabinde has worked closely with the community of KwaThema.

He was involved in politics, which landed him in prison in 1986, when he was charged under the section 29 internal security act for terrorism and furthering the aims of a banned political party.

He completed his matric behind bars, and after his release in 1990, he registered for a BA degree at the University of Western Cape majoring in political science and sociology.