Page 27 - DPSA_SDR Vol 12 No.2 2019

CDWP CASE STUDIES

The citrus fruit industry is the town they satisfy the minimum requirement of Upon completing his Graduate
hinterland’s main source of income. The entry at the institution of their choice. Programme, KhanRoy secured an
labour-intensive nature of the activities in offer as a Consumer Legal Advisor
the citrus industry has brought an influx The scheme applies an admission at the Legal Aid Board. Through
of seasonal workers to the town over the methodology, known as a means test, education, KhanRoy Jacobs broke his
years. These workers come from outside to evaluate whether the prospective family’s poverty cycle and is now the
the Cederberg locality. student could afford the tertiary breadwinner of the household with a
education fees. The CDW enquired sustainable income.
Service delivery about the scheme at the University The discovery of KhanRoy Jacobs is the
of Stellenbosch in Western Cape, on
intervention and behalf of KhanRoy Jacobs. most practical case study to illustrate the
pivotal role of these community-based
outcome After receiving adequate information, public servants. The CDWs perform a
public service by assisting citizens and
she accompanied KhanRoy Jacobs to
the University of Stellenbosch as his linking them to available government
Generally, the youth population of guardian to apply for admission, both for services. This helps citizens to unlock
Citrusdal is exposed to drugs and the academic programme of his choice their potential and improve the quality of
substances abuse. This may be as well as for NSFAS assistance. their lives.
attributed to the lack of adequate sport
and recreational facilities, financial In 2008 KhanRoy Jacobs was admitted KhanRoy Jacobs has realised his full
resources and information on how to the University for a Bachelor of Law potential and serves as a testimony that
to access higher education after (LLB) degree and successfully secured it is possible to break the vicious-cycle of
matriculating from the basic education funding from the NSFAS to finance his social ills such as drugs and substances
phase. tuition fees. abuse in communities where the youth
are ravaged by this social pandemic.
This leads a majority of the youth to While it is worth noting that KhanRoy
indulge in a vicious-cycle of entrapment Jacobs financed his studies throughout When interviewed by a DPSA official,
by many social ills. The result is that the duration of his academic programme KhanRoy Jacobs indicated:
many of these youth do not realise their at the University through NSFAS, it is
full potential, and any dreams that they just as important to recognise the efforts “I want to be the Chief Justice of
had are slowly dying. of the CDW. The CDW sent KhanRoy the Constitutional Court and I want
Jacobs money that she had saved from to influence the policy decisions
While conducting her door-to-door visits her meagre income monthly, for him to in the country in order to help
in her community in Citrusdal, the CDW buy food and toiletries as well as other underprivileged citizens improve
of Ward 2, Ms Mynie Christene Titus amenities at the university. their socio-economic conditions for
met Mr KhanRoy Jacobs. KhanRoy had the better in a just and a fair society.”
passed his Grade 12 with flying colours In 2012 KhanRoy completed his Law n
(79% aggregate), but did not have any degree and graduated. When KhanRoy
plans to further his studies. Jacobs graduated, the CDW financed
the transport costs for KhanRoy’s
This was mainly due to his mother to witness her son’s graduation
underprivileged background, a lack ceremony at the University.
of financial resources and a lack of
information regarding how to access In March 2013, KhanRoy Jacobs
institutions of higher education. secured a place in the Graduate
Programme at the Legal Aid Board
KhanRoy Jacobs lived with his un- Services at the Western Cape Province.
employed mother who was a single
parent with no fixed income. Accessing
higher education in such socio-
economic circumstances posed a
difficult challenge to KhanRoy. This
resulted in a promising young man
resorting to drugs and substance abuse
as way of escaping the depression and
frustrations of seeing his dreams fade
while he watched hopelessly.

It was when the CDW discovered how
bright a young man KhanRoy was that his
life began to change for the better. The
CDW knew of the government tertiary
education scheme, NSFAS (National
Student Financial Aid Scheme). This
facility assists underprivileged students KhanRoy Jacobs with his mother on his KhanRoy with CDW, Mynie Christene Titus
Graduation day
to access higher education provided
Volume 12 No.2 of 2019 | SERVICE DELIVERY REVIEW 25