‘Burning the candle at both ends for her community’

Phelokazi Mbete, the founder of the Zwelitsha Development Initiative, is changing the lives of young and old by working with companies to help provide the community with skills, knowledge and information to prepare them for future opportunities.

Mbete’s initiative teaches skills and self-development, provides services and helps underprivileged families.

“My late mother was instrumental in shaping me into the woman I am today. People often used to go to her for help, she was a very thoughtful woman,” Mbete, 43, said.

Mbete helps people find jobs through social media. She also brings NGOs to the community which in turn introduce programmes to benefit the community.

She matriculated at Hector Peterson High School in 1999 and holds a hospitality management diploma from Wits Technikon, now part of the University of Johannesburg.

She also has a business management certificate from MSC College.

One of the companies she has brought in to assist the youth of Zwelitsha is Avocado Vision, a programme that teaches basic financial managing skills and an enhanced understanding of budgeting with even the smallest amount of money.

The programme was scheduled to run over five days, with a new module each day on topics such as saving and investing, managing debt and credit, boosting income, the  right way to buy big items and funding a funeral.

The Childline empowerment programme provides services for individuals to develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

This programme takes place in Zwelitsha and Bhisho three times a week, with mentorship provided.

The department of health and Mbete negotiated for the Wits Rhi Mobile Clinic to visit Zwelitsha’s zones 1 and 4, where teenagers were provided with sanitary products and toiletries.

They also received free consultations with nurses, discussing health risks, teenage pregnancy, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases.

Mbete also assists the underprivileged pupils to attend their matric dances by providing dresses, hair and makeup.

And with community help she secures donations for individuals in need of funeral arrangements.

Portia Qeqe, who studied with Avocado Vision in April 2023, said the financial literacy programmed had given her basic financial management skills.

“I took part because I felt financial planning and knowledge is an Avocado activity. I wanted my household to benefit from what I had learnt.

“Ms Mbethe is a paragon of community upliftment, a behemoth in ensuring our community improves.

“She is very considerate and has the will to burn the candle at both ends for the people of her community.”

Lizo Gantsho nominated Phelokazi Mbete as a local hero, describing her as a thoughtful, compassionate and empathetic individual.

“The youth of this community know where to go to when they are in need.

“She has organised so much, not only to make them happy, but to make them realise there are always opportunities ahead.

“She has taught them through these events that every day is an opportunity to be grabbed, especially those interested in doing it for themselves, such as budding entrepreneurs.”

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