Johannesburg retired teachers’ association.

JORETA – 1989.

Dube Mofolo Orlando East and West – DUMORLA – 2018.

Establishment of DUMORLA

It was established on the 18 November 2018, the executive members of the areas Dube, Mofolo, Orlando east and west met at Mrs Thembi Duma’s home number 6949 Phofolo street Orlando west. The meeting for the three areas was to merge the three areas. The general executive led by Mr Dan Lefoka came to give support in the merging so that it becomes official that three areas are one. That was the birth of DUMORLA.The first chairman was Mr. Simon Shongwe.

Membership

1. Dube Mofolo = 16. Sixteen
2. Orlando East = 22. Twenty-Two
3. Orlando West = 17. Seventeen.

Total = 55

Where we meet currently

• We meet at Ubuntu Kraal, (Orlando West)

When do we meet.

We meet first Monday of the month.

Current membership number.

• We are seventy-two = 72.

Activities

• Visiting our homebound members quarterly to give them feedback on the activities of JORETA.
• DUMORLA members attend the JORETA members’ memorial services
• In November we buy groceries to contribute to Inkanyezi Home for physically challenged children in Orlando West, then to Footprints Home in Orlando East.
• Our homebound members receive tokens of appreciation at the end of the year.
• In August DUMORLA celebrated woman’s month, members wore their gym clothes to do exercises organised by the wellness and culture coordinators. Music played was in line with the exercises.
• The wellness coordinator,Corricenda Serero gave us a talk on health and herbs, the herbs were thyme, rosemary, plantain, sage and fennel .She explained to members about their benefits and how to use them for cooking and as herbal teas.
• In April 2023 we celebrated with two of our octogenarians namely Ms Nana Sithebe and Ms Thoko Nhlabathi. This was a blessing to DUMORLA members, lunch was served in their honour.
• At every area meeting we have one of us leading the devotions.
• On the 5 October members will be celebrating everybody’s birthday at Gold Reef City, as part of fund-raising.
• On the 10 April 2023 the tours committee organised a trip to Hartbeespoort dam.
• Some of our members will be joining the JORETA tour to Namibia in November 2023.

Links with community structures

• DUMORLA is linked to community structures like Inkanyezi and Footprints Homes.

We always check on the two community organisations to see how we can help them.

Sponsorship

• None.

Fundraising drive

It is by way of organising outings e.g., Gold Reef and Hartbeespoort dam.

Area banners.

• Two banners and a table cloth were bought from the proceeds of the area fundraising.

Poetry inputs.

• DUMORLA was blessed to have a poet among us in the name of Ms Kesentseng Sibanda who swept our feet at the JORETA heritage celebration. Of 2023.09. 12.

The Poem.

Dumela DUMORLA

DUMORLA dumela.

Duma duma DUMORLA.

DUMORLA udume ngani.

Ngidume ngo DUMORLA. Dumela.

Dinatla, dikwankwetla, dikwakwariri di

Bonwa DUMORLA.

Diqi le dikwankwetla di ya utlawahala

Rolelang DUMORLA kgaebane

 ya senang sekaja mmae a tele.

Mesebetsi ya DUMORLA bonwa ke bohle,

Tsohle, e nkile sekgele.

Duduetsang, tumisang, halaletsang DUMORLA e nkile. Didimalang le uthwelle ditswerere.

Dumela DUMORLA, DUMORLA dumela.

Octogenarian function

In April 2023 we were blessed to have two of our members celebrating with other octogenarians organised by the greater JORETA also known as Mother Body.

Thought piece.

JORETA then.

• JORETA had 12 areas. Suburban, Diepkloof, Orlando East, Orlando West, Dube Mofolo, Momojama, Jabu Zomdeni ,

Pimvillle, Protea, Dobsonville, Meadowlands and CDS.

• The founders named the association JORATA Johannesburg retired African teachers’ association then going to the social development to apply for an NPO number. The then leadership was advised to name it JORETA so that its inclusive to all teachers of all creed and colour as long as they taught in Johannesburg. Three months was the probation period the NPO still exists to date.
• JORETA meetings were held at Mooki church in Orlando East and in 2014 moved to Dlamini multipurpose hall in Dlamini due to more retired teachers joining under the leadership of Dr Ramusi, Mr Dan Musi later Mr Lloyd Maluleke, then the membership was +/- 400.
• JORETA from the beginning was a powerful association that was formed to embrace the Johannesburg retired teachers to keep them together, promote “ubuntu to care for one another in good times and in bad times.

It is one of the associations that has kept its values and beliefs.

• JORETA used to network with the Nurses Association and the Police Forum as our aim and objectives are the same.
• JORETA used to have information sharing, every area would submit what they’re going to share, this was in the first quarter of the year, it helped members to research information to share.
• Members joining JORETA would be given a membership number, which helped in determining how many members JORETA had, a Hymnal book and a Constitution.
• The top executive would at the end of the year visit the homebound members to know them and cheer them up.Every month birthdays were celebrated, the hospitality team would serve members from what the celebrants had brought, they in turn would receive a flower and a message read that spoke to the celebrants, one of them would reply on behalf of the celebrants.
• Time was kept at every general meeting.
• With regard to the annual general meeting, for reports on finance,each member would have a copy of the finance report so that should there be questions, it would be easy in terms of referral and clarity.

 Committees

• tours
• bereavement
• culture
• hospitality

JORETA now.

• JORETA now has 9 areas, Suburban, Diepkloof , DUMORLA, Meadowlands, Pimville, Momojama, CDS, Dobsonville, and Protea.
• JORETA with time has changed,it has moved in another direction. Members join JORETA for wrong reasons after being introduced at area level and at the JORETA general, they slow down eventually vanish just send in their contributions,
• The information session has been cut off. The visitation of our homebound by the general executive has been done away with.
• Most of the correspondence is now done by technology now disadvantaging those who do not know how to use the modern gadgets like the computer. Written reports were helpful to the home bound members.
• JORETA is growing drastically and we are grateful. An appreciation is that we now have two extra portfolios,one is Discipline and the other is Editorial and Coordinators have been elected to lead the newportfolios. That is highly commended and it’s a sign of growth.

Newsletter.

• Today JORETA has a JORETA website organised by the Editorial coordinator and the team.
• Editorial committee takes care of the JORETA history from 1989 to date.
• We were fortunate to have attended a workshop facilitated by Dr Mahala who explained to us the difference between a journal and a newsletter
• The octogenarian celebration together with the Heritage Day are still observed.
• Birthdays are celebrated at area level. The memorial services for our deceased are still well handled, members attend in big numbers.
• Now that we have the Editorial Committee, we propose that we have “The Founders Day” be put on our JORETA year plan so that the founders be acknowledged for the good that they have done.The tours committee would organise one short trip in the beginning of the year and a long trip for the end of the year.

Added Committees.

• Editorial Committee
• Disciplinary and Security Committee
• Wellness Committee

Highlights.

• DUMORLA is humbled that in their midst they have one of them who has served as a chairman of Orlando east area in 2011-2013. In tours committee in 2012 – 2014 as an assistant secretary then in 2014 – 2017 as the JORETA general secretary. Presently as an area representative of the editorial team – committee member. It is none other than Makhantso Thelma Hermanus

Compiled by DURMORLA editorial team.

Editorial Committee

DUMORLA Members

DUMORLA Executive Members