Hangberg community activist Warren Abrahams says he wants to continue working for positive change in Hout Bay after getting an award from the City for his efforts.
Mr Abrahams, 44, received the certificate of recognition during a sub-council civic honours ceremony at the Alphen Centre in Constantia on Monday June 3.
He still lives in the house where he grew up in Hout Bay Harbour.
“I attended Sentinel Primary and then matriculated at Hout Bay High School. At that time, there wasn’t a lot of assistance from anyone to study further so I worked at our local fish factory and then with my father as a carpenter’s assistant.”
Later he developed an interest in community work after being caught in the crossfire of the Hangberg uprising.
“I wasn’t that much involved in community work until 2010 after the Hangberg uprising. I was basically thrown in the deep end and volunteered on numerous initiatives and projects.
“Seeing how marginalised my community was and the lack of assistance they received from community leaders and the government pushed me to do more in my community.”
Mr Abrahams’s outreach projects include marches against crime, walking bus initiatives and clean-up campaigns (“Leading the way in Hangberg,” Sentinel, April 2021).
“Most of my initiatives and campaigns with the government happened in Hangberg and some bigger ones like the SMME (small, micro and medium enterprises) accredited training for both Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu was held at the Hout Bay hall at the sports field.
“I am very passionate about education so most of the initiatives and projects I spearheaded were educationally beneficial to the community. Unemployment is also a big issue and assisting with job-seeker forms is a passion as well. There are too many to mention, but anything benefiting my community’s socio-economic circumstances, I’ll take on.”
Mr Abrahams is currently the secretary and social development coordinator for the Peace and Mediation Forum based in Hangberg.
In a statement, the City said: “Warren Abrahams has been recognised for his excellent community assistance and community socio-economic upliftment projects.
“These initiatives address issues such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and sexual education as well as unemployment. Mr Abrahams has gone over and above his role and has pastorally cared for his community by assisting people in Hangberg with a host of needs and concerns.”
Mr Abrahams said he had studied paralegal practice and planned to study further next year.
“I want to show the community’s youth and adults that you are never too old to complete higher education studies and you can follow your dream.“
Ward councillor Roberto Quintas nominated Mr Abrahams for the award along with Una Holiday, a volunteer custodian of Carmel Park in Northshore; Neo Zwane, from the City’s energy directorate; and Helen Snell, the former chairperson of the Scotts Estate Community Initiative District.
