Brave woman’s push for change in east through community forum

In the east of Pretoria, where neglected public spaces and slow service delivery have become the norm, a brave woman has taken it upon herself to lead the charge for change.

Deirdré van Helsdingen, founding director of a non-profit organisation, the Pretoria East Community Caring Forum (CCF), has become a driving force behind community-led development in Moreleta Park and surrounding suburbs.

Van Helsdingen moved to Pretoria in 1985 as a student and remembers a time when the city was well-kept and thriving.

According to her, over the years, she witnessed the city’s condition decline and finally decided to take action.

“Only later could I see the decay, and that’s when I decided to make a difference and started the CCF,” she said.

Van Helsdingen said her passion for community upliftment runs deep.

For 18 years, she has been actively involved in the Community Policing Forum (CPF), and her work has often gone beyond just volunteering.

She said after selling most of her businesses 12 years ago, she took a year-long break and then returned with a renewed focus on civic action.

Her former restaurant inside the Moreletakloof Nature Reserve became a space of environmental revival, where she partnered with Nature Conservation to bring wildlife back into the kloof.

“It is now flourishing,” she said.

Van Helsdingen said the CCF began as a personal initiative, funding the first few projects herself.

She started by addressing visible problems in the community: overgrown grass, eroded sidewalks, and public spaces in disrepair.

She said she used to share her work regularly on social media, which attracted public attention and encouraged others to support the cause.

“We grew then, our workers started to operate from Monday to Thursday, and every Friday, I send a Community Performance Report to the City Manager’s Office,” she explained.

Recent projects include cleaning the area near the “White House” on behalf of its owner, as well as cutting grass along Rubenstein Drive.

The “White House” is a property near the Plastic View informal settlement that was illegally taken over by squatters recently.

Upcoming plans include restoring a neglected corner on De Villebois Mareuil Drive using soil from the Garstfontein Road Widening Project and planting aloes.

One of the key aspects of the CCF’s growing impact has been its commitment to collaboration.

She emphasised that the CCF is not politically affiliated and welcomes partnerships with anyone who shares their goals.

“We are currently working with the DA on a pothole project and are also in communication with AfriForum,” she said.

The CCF Group has since been registered as a Community Upliftment Precinct (CUP).

It is a project structure, with one central head office overseeing all administrative functions, including human resources and compliance for its growing network of community initiatives.

She said that while progress has been steady, encouraging active participation from residents remains a challenge. It’s the difficult part.

“Residents already pay rates and taxes for services they don’t receive. Some talk about withholding property tax, which isn’t legal at the moment, but who knows what the future may bring?”

Van Helsdingen said that despite the obstacles, she continues to push forward with a vision of community pride and resilience.

She grew up in Sasolburg, a town in the Free State that won awards for being the most beautiful town.

That sense of pride in one’s environment is something she hopes to revive in Pretoria east.

“When I moved here in 1985, Pretoria was still beautiful,” she reflects. “Now I want to help bring that beauty back.”

Van Helsdingen said the most rewarding part of her work is the consistent growth and positive feedback from residents.

“Every year we grow. People see what we are doing and thank us. I’m proud of every single project,” she said.

She said managing the CCF while raising a son in his matric year and maintaining a social life isn’t easy, but she finds joy where she can.

“There’s no balance really, but I love having a glass of wine at Rosewood Terrace or Rosewood Trails,” she said.

Van Helsdingen further added that she has big plans.

“I hope to see the CCF eventually become a fully-fledged City Improvement District (CID), which would allow for compulsory contributions from residents once 80% support is achieved. That’s when we can truly make a bigger impact,” she explained.

For now, she continues to lead by example, proving that meaningful change in a community doesn’t always start at the top. Sometimes, it begins with a single resident who decides not to wait for help, but to become it.

To get involved or learn more about the CCF, email moreletapark@ccf-group.co.za.

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