Ward 74’s new ambassadors, Ruzicka Nanika Kriel and Pamela Sofika, with ward councillor Roberto Quintas. Picture: supplied
Two new Ward 74 ambassadors, Pamela Sofika and Ruzicka Nanika Kriel, say they are both looking forward to tackling issues and serving the Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg communities.
Ms Sofika was appointed as ward ambassador by the City in November last year while Ms Kriel started on Wednesday January 3.
Ms Kriel and Ms Sofika will focus on service-delivery issues, making sure complaints about water, sewage, electricity and dumping are logged and dealt with.
Ms Sofika, a mother of two, has lived in Imizamo Yethu for more than two decades. She is studying through Unisa towards a BA, majoring in English and African languages.
“I developed my passion for politics in 2017, when IY was affected by the worst devastating fire outbreak, which affected more than 5000 households and about 1500 residents,” she said, adding that most of those affected by the fires had been misrepresented.
“I got nominated in April in 2017 by the community to be their spokesperson, which I readily and gladly accepted. And because I am known by the vast majority of our community, I took it upon myself to educate the community of the positive outcomes that we all can benefit from if we cooperate with our authorities.”
Asked what issues needed to be prioritised in IY, she said: “I stand against the illegal-shack ‘mushrooming’, as they lead to danger to the community as in the cases where fires break out and people end up loosing all their belongings and loved ones.
“I wish that the vast majority of our community can be allocated adequate houses as it is the right of all to have adequate houses because shacks prove to be a very dangerous way of living.”
Ms Kriel, who grew up in Hout Bay, attended Sentinel Primary School, matriculated at Hout Bay High School in 2011 and pursued a human resources management graduate programme in 2017.
Although she has no prior experience in politics, she said she was passionate about doing community work.
“I have been active in the Hout Bay community for the past two years. I had the honour to work alongside Kim Thandiwe, from Together We Inspire, and our spiritual leader, Pastor Theodore Opperman, from Sentinel Ministries Church, when we hosted our very first career expo last year.”
Ms Kriel has also been a member of the Friends of Hout Bay Library and Hangberg Library since last year.
For more information contact Pamela Sofika at 078 093 4789 or Ruzicka Kriel at 084 277 5608.