KNYSNA NEWS - A legend within animal welfare circles in and around Knysna, this month Helpus Ndlebe is celebrating no less than a quarter-century with the Knysna Animal Welfare Society (Kaws). That's right, 25 solid years of dedicated duty.
Originally from Kolomane Village in the Eastern Cape, Helpus moved to Knysna in 1996 at the age of 27.
Born and bred on his family's farm, he took a liking to agriculture at a young age, eventually studying the subject at school. According to Helpus, this naturally led to him developing a love of animals and a passion to care for them.
"I absolutely love animals, and I would always work with them on the farm, because I also needed to care for them," he says.
After his schooling, Helpus returned to work on the family farm and seeing his love for animals, his parents suggested he move to Knysna to learn more about animals. He signed on with Kaws in 1996 and never left.
"I started out as a cleaner at Kaws, helping out wherever I could, and eventually started working in the field too," he says.
He made it his mission to not only work with the community and care for animals, but to also educate the public on what it means to care for animals. "Animals don't have voices, and I believe my parents gave me my name for a reason, to help animals, and God put me on this earth to give animals a voice," he says proudly.
He progressed to working as an inspector in the northern areas of Knysna (White Location, Concordia, Dam se Bos etc.), and has over the years forged a special bond with the community. "People will come to my house with their animals for help, and I will always help even if I am off duty, because they need help, and if I do not help, no one will."
Helpus is not only an animal lover, but a family man too. He is a husband and father to seven children, some of whom he hopes will carry on his love for animals. "They already help at the house sometimes if someone brings an animal and I'm not at home," he says. During his time as an inspector for Kaws, he has more than made his mark on the town. At the 2014 Sanlam Knysna Awards, Helpus was handed the Service Excellence Award.
Current Kaws committee chairlady Cobri Vermeulen started work with Kaws as a volunteer a year after Helpus arrived, and has always loved working with him.
"Helpy, as we love to call him, is an invaluable member of our team. He has been with us through so much growth and has done so much for Kaws over the years," she says. "He is very much a living legend in his own right."
Helpus has aided other organisations over the years as well. Penny Mainwairing of CX Township Animals in Need speaks highly of him. "I always say to Helpus when I meet him, 'Helpus, you are the best man in Knysna!' and he truly is,"
Mainwaring remarks. "It doesn't matter if it is night or day, raining, hailing, or the sun is shining, if I have a problem with a dog, cat, cow or pig, he comes right away. He never delays, he is there to help. He was given the right name for sure. I want to say Knysna is richer for having this man Helpus as part of the community."
Now 52, Helpus is a highly revered inspector at Kaws, and he hopes to still spend many a year working with the organisation to help animals.
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