Commissioned by the Dept. of Health and Social Welfare NW Province Odi Health and Welfare District (Winterveldt Survey -Findings)
Undertaken by: AMREF (Hosted by: Sapler Population Trust)
Executive Summary and Strategy Issues
Summary
The Context
Winterveldt is an informal urban settlement and a smallholding area approximately 9 500 hectares. It is situated approximately 40 km north west of Pretoria, adjacent to Mabopane in the North West Province. Winterveldt is unique in terms of its history, land ownership, tenancy and style of housing. It is one of very few area in South Africa where land was purchased by black South Africans before 1948, surveyed and legally registered in their names.
Winterveldt is divided into a rural, northern half and southern, "proclaimed" urban half called Klippan. Population densities are much higher in the southern portion of Winterveldt. In Vilakazi, the very southern part of Winterveldt, densities are as high as 40 dwellings/ha) on some plots. According to the 1997 estimates (Mvula Trust; et al.; 1997) the population of Winterveldt was 213 000 with an average of 6.5 people per dwelling.
The community of Winterveldt is in many ways typical of informal settlements on the periphery of a major 'core' metropolitan area. It has a legacy of rapid, unmanaged growth, there are complex tenure arrangements, and it is dependent on the core area for income and additional services.
Approach to the Study
The overall objective of the Baseline Survey was to provide baseline data and information to enable the main stakeholders in Winterveldt community to set realistic programme objectives and activities and to establish indicators for the various interventions aimed at improving conditions of Winterveldt. The study had two specific objectives: capacity building and baseline survey.
The Baseline Survey had 5 objectives: to assess the health and welfare conditions of the sampled population; to assess the level of utilization of health and welfare services; to assess communities' level of knowledge and behaviour related to transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS; to asses the health and welfare information requirements of the sampled population and to assess community knowledge of vocational training services within Winterveldt.
Both qualitative and quantitative techniques of data collection were used. Emphasis was put on capacity building of the study team members, which consisted of volunteers from Winterveldt, representatives from non-governmental organizations working in Winterveldt, staff from Odi District Department of Health and Welfare and AMREF trainees. To this extent, therefore, participatory approach to design, data collection and analysis was adopted.
A total of 280 households were randomly selected from an estimated 1 650 stands from the 5 Morgan and 10 Morgan areas of Winterveldt. In each of the households any youth (12-19 years) found were also interviewed. Out of the 280 sampled, 238 households responded giving a response rate of 85 percent. A total of 1 437 household members were realized from the 238 households.
Demographic Characteristics
More than half of the respondents were married. Only 2.1 percent were divorced. Just over a quarter had between standard 5 and 8. Those respondents who had not been to school constituted 18.1 percent. Multi-ethnic nature of the population emerged with five most common ethnic backgrounds represented being Tsonga, North Sotho, Zulu, Tswana and Ndebele. The main source of income from amongst the respondents was found to be pension (31.4%). Other major sources of income included business and salary. Unemployment rate was found to be 10 percent.
From among the 1 437 household members, a third of the household members were found to be below 15 years. A quarter of the total household members were reported not have education. Among the educated, the proportion of educated females was found to higher than that of mates from Sub A to standard 7. From standard 8 the balance shifts in favour of males with even a higher proportion of males at Tertiary level (54%).
Physical and Mental Disability
A total of 43 disabled persons were reported, giving a disability rate of 3 percent. The main problems facing the disabled were found to be related to disability grant in terms of access, adequacy and reliability.
General Problems Facing the Youth, Women and the Aged
The five major problems facing the youth include drug abuse, alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy, unemployment, lack of recreational facilities and indiscipline.
Unemployment and related financial problems were mentioned as the main problem facing women in the community. Other major problems facing women in the community include rape, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse.
Problems associated with old age pension constitute one of the major problems facing the aged. Like the youth and the women, the aged also face the problem of insecurity, alcohol abuse and rape. However, problems that seems to be unique to the aged are neglect and lack of food security.
Major Health Problems Facing Households
Upper respiratory tract infections were found to be the most common household health problem (1 8.4%). High blood pressure and other related problems were find to be high.
A total of 29 deaths were reported to have occurred twelve months preceding the survey. Apart from illnesses, the most common causes of death were murder and suicide, comprising more that a quarter.
Utilization of Health and Welfare Services
Only a quarter of the sampled population obtain health care from private health institutions. Over three quarters (82%) indicated that they obtain care from clinics in Winterveldt which are run by both government and non-governmental organizations. Reported utilization of Traditional Health Services was found to be low - only 9.7 percent. Over two thirds of the respondents (67.7%) indicated that they were satisfied with the health services offered at the facilities nearest to them.
Only three respondents (1.3%) indicated that they would go to a Welfare Office if they had a social welfare problem.
Knowledge of HIV/AIDS Transmission and Prevention
A quarter of the respondents do not know how HIV/AIDS can be prevented. About a half (45%) perceive condom as the main method of prevention. More than three quarters (82%) of the respondents believe that they are at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS. Only a third of the population indicated that they have changed their behaviour since they had about HIV/AIDS.
Health and Welfare Information Requirements
Over two thirds of the households obtain their information on health and welfare from health facilities. Radio and TV were found to be the most important sources of information. Information needs of households include information on housing, on-going projects, vocational training and welfare.,
Knowledge of Educational or Skills Training Services
Less than a half of the sampled population are aware of institutions and organizations offering vocational training services. Sisters of Mercy, the Rand Water, Roman Adult, Mpshe and St Michael were the ones most commonly mentioned. Three quarters of the households are satisfied with the services offered by the vocational training institutions.
However, according to the respondent, areas which need to be addressed include empowerment of women, marketing of products, typing and computer training, motor mechanics, brick making, masonry, welding, plumbing, electrical engineering, lack of recreational facilities and libraries.
Youth (12-19 years) Survey
A total of 95 youth, aged 12-19 years, and present in the household, during the time of the survey were interviewed. This included 36 males and 59 females.
Level of education
About a third (31.2%) of the youth had been, or were in standard 7-8.
Overall, 79.6% had attained at most standard 8 level.
Youth Groups
About 38.3% of the youth indicated knowing existence of youth groups within Winterveld. All of these belonged to at least one group. Some of the groups that members belonged to are as follows:
Hobbies
The youth cited various hobbies that they possessed. Out of 146 responses, 33.6% were for various sports (soccer, volleyball, basketball etc) as a bobby. These was followed by Music - 23.3%, Watching T.V./Cinemas - 13.7%, Reading/writing - 11 % and Knitting and sewing - 3.4%. The rest constituted 7.5% and included hobbies like Church, Modelling, Hair dressing and beauty contests.
Main Problems affecting youth
When asked to state the main problems that affect them. 42.7% either did not know or said they did not have any problems. The leading problem was lack of recreational facilities, mentioned by 13.2% of the youth.
Sexuality
Contraceptives
About 58.3% of the male youth reported that they knew what contraceptives were. Some of the contraceptives mentioned were; condom - 37%, pills - 38% and injections - 38%. The proportion of ladies who claimed to know what contraceptives were, was 79%.
Sixty one (61 %) percent of the male youth approved of their girlfriends using condoms and a similar proportion (61.5%) of the female youth approved their boyfriends using contraceptives.
A third (35.3%) of the female youth were currently using contraceptives.
Pregnancy
A quarter (27.3%) of the female youth reported having been pregnant once. All of them kept the pregnancy. Only 6.7% got the pregnancy while below 15 years.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
The knowledge level for sexually transmitted diseases was measured at 72.9% of the youth. Asked to name an STD they knew; gonorrhoea was reported by 47.5% of the youth, followed by AIDS - 32.5% and Syphilis - 8.8%.
On whether STDs can be prevented, 65.9% were positive. About 1 0% of the youth reported currently infected with an STD.
HIV/AIDS
The youth were asked whether they have ever heard of HIV and AIDS. About 83.1 % had heard about HIV while 87.9% had heard about AIDS.
About 14% of the youth claimed to know somebody who is suffering from AIDS.
Sources of information about STDs and AIDS
About 5.2% of the youth said they did not know of any source of STD/AIDS information. The commonest source were the health facilities, mentioned by 59.3% of the youth. Other sources were; schools - 15.6%, books/magazines - 5.2%, friends and relatives 4.2%. The AIDS centre was mentioned by only 2.1 %.
Drugs and Substances
Knowledge levels of drugs/substances was high with drugs like madrax known by more than half (59.4%) of the youth; dagga - 58.3%; Cocaine - 63.5% and alcohol - 49%.
About 70.5% of the youth reported at least one member of the family who consumes alcohol. A quarter (27.7%) of the youth reported ever consuming alcohol. When asked if they would stop taking alcohol, almost half (43.2%), were not willing to stop.
Only 6.7% of the youth reported having ever used drugs.
Knowledge of existing Educational skills services within Winterveldt
A third (36.3%) of the youth knew of existence of educational/skills training services within Winterveldt. Most of these, 79.2% said the existing facilities were useful to the youth in the community. Some of the areas they would want addressed are: Home economics - 23.3%; Computer studies - 18.6% and Vocational training - 18.6%.
Strategy Issues
Household related
Main problems facing the women include unemployment, rape, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse.
Problems associated with the management of the old age pension constitute one of the major problems facing the aged. The aged also face the problem of lack of food security, neglect, insecurity, alcohol abuse and rape.
Only three respondents (1.3%) indicated that they would go to a Welfare Office if they had a social welfare problem.
A quarter of the sampled population do not know how HIV/AIDS can be prevented.
About a quarter of the sampled population do not believe that they are at a risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS.
Only a third of the population indicated that they have changed their behaviour since they had about HIV/AIDS.
About a quarter of the sampled population is dissatisfied with the services offered by health facilities nearest to them.
Less than half of the sampled population are aware of governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations offering vocational training services.
Youth related
Only 15.6 percent of the youth have school as their main source of information about HIV/AIDS.