A Post COVID-19 World, and Learning to Managing Editor Faiza Steyn Contents Adapt to the Changes It Will Bring

BETTER ISSUETOGETHER. | June 2020 37 A post COVID-19 COVID-19 world service excellence ADAPTING Our frontline and backline heroes TODAY AND INTO One app for the WCG THE FUTURE Service delivery at a click Beating coronavirus A story of hope and recovery editor’s note Preparing for MAGAZINE TEAM a post COVID-19 world, and learning to Managing Editor Faiza Steyn contents adapt to the changes it will bring. Editor adapting to change Leah Moodaley Proofreaders ISSUE 37 JUNE 2020 in uncertainty Aré van Schalkwyk, Mishqa Rossier Afrikaans translation How has COVID-19 impacted our Aré van Schalkwyk corporate wellness? page 6 Since the distribution of our last magazine in March, our provincial isiXhosa translation administration, and society at large, has had to adapt to operating Luvuyo Martins in an unusual way. Under lockdown, the magazine team had to Contributors adjust to a situation where our face-to-face interviews and hands-on Byron La Hoe, CapeNature, photoshoots were an unnecessary risk in the face of a spreading Fatima Gallie, Florence Kotze, virus. We had to produce a magazine that stands for all things Haybre Philander, Hayley Baron, Jako Smith, Khuthala Swanepoel, “Better Together”, separate from one another. Landeka Diamond, Larissa Venter, We had to adapt to sudden change, which is why this issue is unique. Laticia Pienaar, Maret Lesch, Our current circumstances have forced all of us to see and do things Mishqa Rossier, Natalie Roman, Nomakhaya Mngqibisa, differently in the face of much uncertainty. Robert Shaw, Trevor Luthango, What have the past three months made you realise? As you reflect Wendy Horn from the perspective of a mother, father, daughter, son, sister, or Layout and design brother – and as a Western Cape Government employee – think about Corporate Communication what you are learning from this experience and how you can use these Art Director lessons to empower yourself moving forward. For instance, how have Annalie Boshoff you embraced the use of technology Designer We share our experiences of working to complete professional and personal Hantie Engelbrecht from home and showcase a few of tasks? On page 38, read about the Artwork, illustrations and our public service heroes from across Western Cape Government eServices infographics 6 departments. Their positivity and mobile app. Enabled by technology, it Annalie Boshoff, Hantie Engelbrecht willpower lay the groundwork for is one service delivery platform for all getting through this. provincial departments. Photography 38 One App for our WCG Supplied KNOW BETTER 2 DG letter Provincial public service’s Following a national lockdown of schools, we also delve into the topic Administration 16 A provincial COVID-19 new mobile app of how parents can help with schoolwork, offering tips from award- Denise Williams, response 42 Our work-from-home Nokuzola Ngcizela winning educators [page 20]. On the topics of parenting and educators, 4 Inside info experience read about how our departments are collaborating to advance Communication and liaison Staff weigh in across 20 Parenting and homework departments “eTeaching” [page 36] and how decisions about your child’s health care Portia Percival, Nokuzola Ngcizela Learner support post- can impact an entire population [page 30]. Editorial Committee Harry lockdown & beyond Malila (DG), André Joemat (SG), The public service has stood a true test of efficiency and readiness 30 Community and immunity Faiza Steyn (Head of Corporate Why childhood vaccinations? this year, and we pay special tribute to each and every public servant Communication), Sylvanus du 40 who has stepped up to the plate during a global pandemic. We share Plessis (Head of Creative), 32 Men’s Health Month Checking your prostate our experiences of working from home [page 42] and showcase a few Leah Moodaley (Editor) of our public service heroes from across departments [page 11]. Their DISCLAIMER FEEL BETTER positivity and determination lay the groundwork for getting through this. + The Department of the Premier’s Corporate 6 Corporate wellness Communication Directorate has copyright on all Post COVID-19 lockdown: Our heartfelt respect and sympathy to all employees who have been intellectual property and artwork in the Better Our new normal directly and indirectly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together magazine. All content in the Better 16 Beating coronavirus Together magazine adheres to copyright law. A colleague’s story of hope This magazine is the sum of many efforts. We came together to make + All information is considered to be correct Coronavirus from and recovery it happen. at the date and time of publication. Required modifications may exist on the electronic magazine the perspective of a 28 A ‘Constant’ reminder Leah Moodaley accessible via MyGov and the official website. survivor page 16 Lucille Constant serves despite the odds Editor 40 Dreaming of the outdoors BE BETTER CapeNature tourist offerings 11 COVID-19 service to look forward to excellence A few of our frontline & backline heroes 30 WORK BETTER contact us 25 CTICC to beacon of hope 34 Slotting in to serve A look at a WCG COVID-19 Eunice Hlahla is a voice for field hospital the people Telephone: 021 483 6017 Considering the significance 36 ESD Moodle training Postal address: Better Together magazine, P.O. Box 659, Cape Town 8000 of immunisation to a 26 On the frontlines How Tygerberg prepared for Advancing eTeaching & Email: [email protected] population page 30 a pandemic eLearning All letters can be sent to the above email or postal address. ISSUE 36 | Better Together Better Together | MARCH 2020 1 DG letter DG letter Our COVID-19 response efforts are currently being message we have, we are pursuing community-based testing and concentrated on those areas that are most in need. screening in a targeted way, We have put facilities in place, and as a caring from the DG especially in and around the employer we have equipped our staff to protect identified hotspots. our provincial themselves from the disease. HUManitarian efforts The President announced a administration and R350 per month grant last month, and we are assisting COVID-19 SASSA to ensure that the Hot SPot StrategY funding goes to those who In the Department of the Premier, need it. Together with NGOs we are concerned with saving and municipalities, the WCG THANK YOU lives and improving livelihoods has organised the delivery of by developing and implementing food parcels to the thousands For the past two and a half months, those plans and strategies, and of people who have contacted of us who are usually office-bound, have monitoring their effectiveness. our Call Centre. Many of our had to work from home, with or without Our Health team has developed citizens have lost their wages the tools of the trade to do so effectively. a planning model and has during lockdown and are hungry Thank you for persevering and doing mapped out various scenarios to and in need of support. Our your best. guide our planning throughout humanitarian efforts will be I am sure that you have taken some time the course of the disease. The intensified in and around the they have been infected. The have also provided guidance to reflect on our role as the public service model is frequently updated and hotspots. WCG has established quarantine to municipalities regarding during the state of disaster, which lends continues to inform our planning We are continuing to provide and isolation facilities all over waste management and burials a new urgency to the work that we do. and approach to managing the food to learners at schools and the province in partnership with management. People throughout our province are pandemic. children at Early Childhood municipalities. “Field hospitals” For our efforts to be suffering and we have to respond to ease Through data management Development Centres. We have are also being established successful, we must secure their suffering, and also to rebuild society and mapping, we have identified emphasised the importance for those patients who need the buy-in of people living once the effects of this disease have that outbreaks are happening of proper personal protective a higher level of care. Such a in communities in suburbs As a symbol of passed. in clusters around various equipment to providers of food centre has been established in and informal settlements to hope for every congregation points. Initially, relief, including the compulsory the CTICC – "Hospital of Hope' change their behaviour to patient, rainbow- There are many brave colleagues among weddings and dances, and now wearing of masks, and social (page 25). avoid contracting COVID-19. themed artwork us, such as health care workers, social under lockdown, these clusters distancing. The feeding has Our Human Settlements We have approached faith- drawn by children workers, law enforcement officers and are around supermarkets, police proceeded largely without programme includes the in-situ based organisations and other in the province food relief providers, who serve on stations, correctional facilities, incident so far and provides upgrading and “de-densification” community leaders to amplify decorate the walls the frontline. They risk infection on a and so on. From these places, much-needed relief to hungry of informal settlements and our significant communication above every bed in daily basis to help people in need. We people return home and spread children. overcrowded dwellings as a efforts to ensure that social the CTICC Hospital appreciate the sacrifices they make in the infection in their local area, measure to combat COVID-19 distancing and sound personal of Hope. terms of home and family life in the and vice versa. We have seen Business guidance in communities. The Whole of hygiene are observed. service of others. “hotspots” arise all over the Metro The WCG is also providing Society Approach is evident in Our COVID-19 response and in the Cape Winelands.

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