Thandeka Mbotho

A dedicated and results-driven Social Sciences degree holder with 13 years' experience in social facilitation/stakeholder management. Organised, computer literate, can communicate with internal and external stakeholders, able to prioritise and has good interpersonal relations, self and time management skills.

Project Facilitator - KZN Department of Human Settlements - KZN

(2023-03 - 2026-02)

• Built and maintained relationships with community members, political and traditional leadership, forums and stakeholders.
• Supported municipalities and communities in identifying, planning and initiating projects and made input on the team's operational plan.
• Acted as a liaison between the department (funder) and external stakeholders, ensuring clear and effective communication.
• Attended meetings where diverse and sometimes challenging views may be expressed.
• Coordinated Consumer Education workshops for 500+ community members.
• Maintained accurate records of reports, statistics, meeting minutes and subsidy funds administration; supporting successful audits with zero findings.
• Assisted municipalities with conflict resolution; resolving 95% of disputes within 14 days.
• Attended and facilitated monthly project steering committee meetings for 08+ housing projects, ensuring alignment on timelines, budgets and deliverables.
• Secured community buy-in for all projects through public meetings, reducing project delays by 60%.
• Mentored 01 Project Facilitator and supported Control Works Inspectors with household inspections.
• Coordinated and trained steering committees on their roles and responsibilities.
• Attended to inquiries from the Presidential Hotline, the office of the Premier, the Auditor General or the office of the Head of Department, submitting compliant reports within mandated time frames.
• Engaged with government bodies such as DMRE, Transport department, Social Development and other elected officials and stakeholders.
• Travelled at short notice (Newcastle to Durban) to attend meetings or submit invoices to fast-track payments or collect Contracts to fast-tracking signing by municipalities.
• Ensured professional and accurate communication of discussions and outcomes through memos and status reports to management and project team.

Community Development Practitioner - KZN Department of Human Settlements - KZN

(2012-07 - 2023-02)

Identified and facilitated the implementation of integrated, sustainable human settlements and community development interventions in partnership with the municipality, the community and other relevant stakeholders:

• Beneficiary profiling: Assessed the household structure, background information of beneficiary, needs profile and resources required.
• Planning and prioritization: Facilitated the planning and prioritization of the activities required to assist needy households by assessing the available resources, set times frames and compile a Submission for Funding of house construction.
• Facilitated the implementation of construction activities.
• Monitored and evaluated implementation, gave feedback to the community and other relevant stakeholders and re-planned the actions where required.
• Liaised and co-ordinated with all relevant role players, internal and external and stakeholders (in departments, provinces, NGOs, local community structures and faith-based organizations) to facilitate collaboration and to establish partnerships to ensure the sustainability of development actions within community.
• Supported Project Development Committees and performed administrative support on human settlements related activities: Monitored and evaluated projects and other community development ventures in terms of the evaluation framework and reported on the progress thereof.
• Stakeholder engagement through the attendance of awareness campaigns hosted by Local and District Task Team meetings related to the Operation Sukuma Sakhe programme.
• Provided advice and policy guidelines to stakeholders during meetings, workshops and to office walk-ins.
• Drafted letters (responding to queries, requests or giving information) for signing by the Acting District Manager/Project Manager.

Bachelor of Social Sciences - Social Sciences - University of KwaZulu-Natal (2011)

Matriculation - Sithengile Senior Secondary School (2006)