Community Services

Community Services Directorate

Acting Director Community Services: Vernon Petersen.

The Community Services Directorate was established in April 2008 under leadership of the Executive Director, Mr. Tommy Matthee. The Directorate consists of three core departments: Housing, Community Services and Protective Services.

The Directorate is committed to the agenda of social transformation that is embodied in the development of social capital and the principle of social justice, as contained in the Bill of rights of our Constitution. The Directorate will endeavor to create a better life for the poor, vulnerable and excluded people of the Drakenstein Municipal area. As Social Services professionals the Directorate acts on the basis of solidarity with all of humanity. The Directorate will also seek to empower communities and engender self reliance by creating conditions for sustainable livelihoods and this involves being committed to the Batho Pele (People first) principles and applying them to improve service delivery to the entire range of our services.

Core Principles of the Driectorate

The people we serve come first.
The resources that are entrusted to the Directorate will be used to deliver on Drakenstein Municipal priorities in the most efficient, effective and innovative manner.
The Directorate will be transparent and accountable for all decisions, actions and performances.
The Directorate will work in partnership with people it serves, other departments and be committed to service delivery.

Mr Thomas Matthee (Tommy) was born in Paarl on 27th June 1966; completed his primary school education
at Magnolia Primary school and matriculated at Klein Nederburg Secondary School in 1985.
He is a dedicated activist committed to the transformation agenda of South African
and to this cause was detained on several occasions between 1985 and 1989.

In 1988 he enrolled with UWC and completed his Lower Diploma Library and Information Sciences
and obtained a B. Bibl. Degree in 1993. He started his career in 1992 as a resource center worker
at the Education Resource Information Project. (ERIP – NGO) He was appointed Chief Librarian
on 1 March 1996 at Paarl Municipality ( now Drakenstein Municipality), managing the Libraries Services
and these included Mill Street, Drakenstein (Paarl East), Mbekweni, Paarl, Wellington, Saron, Hermon,
Gouda libraries and 7 satelite libraries in rural areas.

He is also a founder member of the unified Library Association of South Africa (LIASA) which
was established in 1995.

He served the profession in various leadership capacities ie ;

National Treasurer 1996 – 2001
PRESIDENT 2004 – 2008
Member of the National Council of Library and Information Services (NCLIS)

In his capacity as President of LIASA and member of NCLIS, he advises the Minister of Arts and Culture,
as well as the Minister of Education on Library and Information related matters, in terms of the NCLIS Act ,
2001 ( Act No. 6 of 2001). In addition to this he has represented LIASA at various national and international
forums, where he presented various papers.

In December 2004, Mr Matthee was appointed as acting Head of the Community Services Department
including the sections Social Development, Libraries, Traffic, Fire, Disaster Management,
Parks and Recreation. In this capacity he is responsible for leadership, control
and the management of 750 staff members to ensure effective
and efficient service delivery services.

On 1st May 2008 he was appointed as Executive Director: Social Services Directorate responsible
for Housing, Community Services and Community Safety. To this end, he is selflessly committed
to creating a better life for all the people of the Drakenstein.