Rustenburg has the heart, now it needs the connection

Khulisa members and community participants united at Heartbeat Rustenburg 2026 to strengthen cooperation under the theme “One Community. One Heart. One Future.”

Platinum Weekly newspaper | Rustenburg – A family may receive help from five organisations, complete five forms and appear in five files – yet still have no coordinated support plan. This example captured the central message of Khulisa Social Solutions’ Heartbeat Rustenburg 2026 event: Rustenburg is not short of people and organisations working to help. The challenge is connecting those efforts to achieve greater collective impact.

Held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday 29 September 2026, the H.E.A.R.T. Year 1 Impact Event marked World Heart Day under the theme “One Community. One Heart. One Future.” Funded by the Sibanye Rustenburg Mine Community Development Trust, it brought community organisations and public and private sector representatives together to discuss Rustenburg’s social challenges.

The event opened with a performance of “One Heart, One Future” by Aobakwe, a graduate of Khulisa’s diversion programme. The song reflected the spirit of the day - strengthening community connections and moving from conversation towards collective action. According to Khulisa’s Craig Setzin, Rustenburg has committed people, active organisations and valuable community knowledge. What is missing is stronger coordination.

Findings from Khulisa’s dialogue circles, stakeholder consultations and research highlighted interconnected concerns, including gender-based violence, unemployment, substance abuse, family breakdown, trauma and limited access to support. Gender-based violence and unemployment emerged particularly strongly.

Over the past four years, Khulisa and its partners reported reaching 26,466 people across Rustenburg’s mining communities and facilitating 362 dialogue circles. Between July 2025 and July 2026, 13 circles involving 886 participants explored issues including mental wellness, women’s economic empowerment, conflict and environmental challenges.

At the event, representatives from the Public Protector, Department of Education, Royal Bafokeng structures, Impala Platinum Mine, the National Youth Development Agency and approximately 16 community-based and non-profit organisations attended. Khulisa presented its Collaborative Implementation Model, which brings community experiences, research, resources and development investment into a shared information base. The aim is to identify gaps, reduce duplication and improve access to support.

Khulisa is already supporting local organisations through mentoring, programme development and monitoring. By September 2027, it aims to help stakeholders establish shared community information, an investment map, a verified organisation database and systems to track commitments and review progress.

“Rustenburg already has committed people, active organisations and strong community voices,” said Setzin. “The next step is to connect these efforts, align our resources, and work together in a way that produces visible, measurable change.”

Residents can participate in local programmes, share their experiences or volunteer their skills. Contact Khulisa’s Rustenburg office at 7 Zendeling Street, Rustenburg, on 079 064 9033, or follow its social media pages.