Zukiswa Jama works as a social facilitator, also referred to as Development Facilitator, on built environment projects. We spoke to her to try and understand the importance of community buy-in to a project and the curious phenomenon of communities delaying service delivery, to their disadvantage, while protesting about related or unrelated issues.
Masakheni: What is a social facilitator? What do you do?
ZJ: There are different definitions or explanations on what a Social Facilitator is. In essence, a social facilitator is the one person that ensures that people that have a stake in a task are able to work together so that each of them are able to yield optimal results in their different roles to achieve the task. The task could take a form of a construction project in a community, implementation of a developmental program in an area or an introduction of a new policy. It is the facilitation of cooperation in the implementing of tasks that can sometimes have differing end goals.
Masakheni: Is there a deliberate attempt to adavance the interests of women?
ZJ: Part of the role of social facilitation is to safeguard the interest of women in projects and developmental programs implemented in communities.
Masakheni: What are the obstacles, if any, that women face in accessing these jobs?
ZJ: In the construction industry in particular, it is a known fact that the industry is still male dominated despite big strides having been made in previous years to curb barriers to entry by women. The field of Social Facilitation is largely a by-word-of-mouth sector and experience that allow one to get the jobs. Because women do not belong in the same networks as their male counter parts, the word of mouth factor is nullified, and this in turn means women do not have a lot of big jobs under their belts to be trusted with sizable jobs. Largely, women work as subcontractors to male owned companies that landed the jobs.
Masakheni: What are the stages involved in introducing or announcing a new project in an area?
ZJ: We first embark on what we call stakeholder mapping which involves things like establishing existing projects and, therefore, knowing what structures exist. We then move on to identifying a Project Liaison Officer before selecting a Project Steering Committee guided by the results of the stakeholder mapping exercise. After that we work on leveling of expectations, development of a social contract and engagement on a planned basis to deal with challenges as they arise. Once the project has started, we engage in monitoring and evaluation activities and this comprises reporting and record keeping.
Masakheni: Why is it necessary? In other words, why can’t government simply announce that it is going to provide a clinic or school in an area and go ahead and build it?
ZJ: The assumption is always that other people and even government know what communities need without first consulting them on what their priorities are. This top down approach lands many a project in deep trouble because communities often show their power by destroying the project or having infrastructure that is left as a white elephant. Careful engagement of communities in the development of their own areas goes a long way in communities themselves owning and ensuring the success of the project. Making sure that the communities also benefit in the building of their own development gives a sense of purpose and partnership with government.
Masakheni: What sort of expectations do you raise when you announce a project?
ZJ: Honesty is the fundamental principle in building social contracts. The exercise of leveling expectation is the most critical aspect of social facilitation from the word go. Expectations that are raised are only those that the project will meet. It is important to communicate what the project will achieve and what it will not. A strong project steering committee always plays a significant role in ensuring that the community is on the same page as government, project managers, contractors and all other stakeholders.
Masakheni:What happens when you cannot meet the expectations?
ZJ: Building of trust and honesty are important. If an expectation cannot be met despite being promised, transparency and corrective measures being put in place is key. The problem must be presented to the steering committee and they must be part of how it should be resolved.
Masakheni: One of the most unfortunate sights in South Africa, is that of communities destroying infrastructure during protest action to the extent, for example, of burning down a clinic because they want a school. What are the reasons for this?
JZ: Largely, the reason for this is that communities do not see the infrastructure they destroy as being their own. They see it as what government has put in their communities and because it does not belong to them, they can burn it to get back at government for not providing them with other services. They do not see the very infrastructure as a tangible of service delivery.
Masakheni: In your experience, is this spontaneous action by communities or are there always individuals behind the action?
JZ: Both these possibilities could be true. In some cases, the actions are spontaneous and in others they are orchestrated by individuals.
Masakheni: How do you see social facilitators playing a role in changing this phenomenon or is this best left to local government?
ZJ: Social facilitation can play a big role in changing this phenomenon. Formulating a culture of partnership between communities, business and government is the foundation to curbing this phenomenon. Currently, South Africans have lost the view that government is them. A strong us-and-them dynamic has developed. Re-negotiation of social contracts and re-building the spirit of one South Africa building towards the same direction is the key. Social Facilitators as apolitical participants in this relationship are able to facilitate an understanding that “A clinic and a library are needed by them as communities, regardless of who is in charge of government”. Governments can change every five years, but communities will still remain with the same needs.
