Dr Lindi established the Kriel Occupational Health and Wellness Centre (KOHC) in 2008. Originally servicing the Emalahleni, Mpumalanga region, KOHC has grown to establish a second office in Gauteng with two mobile units servicing the rest of the country. This sustained growth is in part due to the partnership KOHC enjoys with Londvolota.
Dr Lindi Mokwena
The dust is rising against the evening-orange horizon as the KOHC mobile unit leaves the field. For some people, it was their first time having the range of medical tests and the excitement – and nervousness – of the experience has left clusters of people behind and is palpable.
“It was a good day,” says Moses (42). “I had always heard about being tested for HIV and TB but the clinic is too far. And these people who came are so professional and friendly. I felt they care.”
It’s a familiar response from clients and it is the reason Dr Lindi Mokwena decided to establish the Kriel Occupational Health and Wellness Centre (KOHC) in 2008. Originally servicing the Emalahleni, Mpumalanga region, KOHC has grown to establish a second office in Gauteng with two mobile units servicing the rest of the country. This sustained growth is in part due to the partnership KOHC enjoys with Londvolota.
Dr Lindi explains. “The business had grown nicely and I was providing employment to 11 people. But I knew I didn’t have the business skills and network to maintain the rate of growth. And I was working in the business all the time. I was exhausted.”
When Dr Lindi applied to Londvolota for support in 2016, the Londvolota team knew they had a perfect applicant in KOHC. As a 100% black female owned business, KOHC had a proven track record of success and a business plan to grow. However, if KOHC was to realise the desired success, the business needed greater structure with internal systems and in-house skills, and most importantly, the business needed to distinguish itself from its competitors. Londvolota was an ideal support to provide business knowhow over an extended period of time and finance.
Dr Lindi attributes the growth in her business from 11 to 18 team members to Londvolota’s support. “Not only have we been able to employ more people from our community, but KOHC has also developed into a reliable resource centre for occupational health and wellness services.”
The range of occupational health and wellness services offered by KOHC is extensive. Many corporate clients, including mines and construction companies, opt for medical surveillance services whereby a planned programme of periodic medical screening assesses the client’s fitness to work and helps companies manage their health risks as well as preventing, detecting and treating occupational diseases. Surveillance can be done pre-employment, during employment or on leaving employment, and KOHC has built up a loyal client network who draw on their services on a regular basis.
Other services such as conducting wellness days, offering travel medicine with related vaccinations, benefit medical examinations, especially for ex-miner’s seeking compensation from MBOD/CCOD and injury on duty management and reporting, and sports medicine complete their offering.
“We were able to expand our service offering and our geographic reach as a result of Londvolota’s support,” explains Dr Lindi. “But what has really set us apart, is that we received our ISO 9001 registration in 2019. Now our clients have increased confidence in our services and also know they have recourse for services offered. And our rankings across all areas of service delivery is far higher now that we have formalized our systems.
The support offered directly to the business was mirrored in the upskilling offered to Dr Lindi herself. Via Londvolota, she participated in business courses to develop new skills especially around finance and marketing, and importantly, showed her how to structure and build the business in a way that enabled the business to operate without her.
“It was a big challenge building this business and I put all my energy and resources into it. And being a medical doctor, this meant KOHC is compliant in terms of Occupational Health and Safety Act, Mine Health and Safety Act and other related legislations. I felt very responsible.” Dr Lindi pauses, thinking back to the long days in the field and nights filled with administration and financial work. “But I reached the point where I recognized that if KOHC was to grow, it needed to exist as an entity separate from me. And I needed to have a better work-life balance. I was able to achieve this as a result of the support from Londvolota.”
Releasing KOHC into a life of its own brought other benefits to the community. The Dr Lindi Foundation was launched in 2018 to assist with basic needs for disadvantaged school children/tertiary students as well as offering practical skills training for graduates and Benefit Medical Examinations for ex-miners.
“None of this would have been possible without the intervention offered by Londvolota,” Dr Lindi acknowledges. “Yes, I had the dream and I worked really hard to get KOHC to a point, but what gave my dream wings to fly was the helping hand of Londvolota.”
The group of people on the dusty field is slowly diminishing as the evening fades to night. The mobile clinic is still out on the road, several hours from reaching the KOHC offices. But the impact of the day will be felt for years to come.
Moses is one of the last people to head home. He is still abuzz from his experience. “Today I feel like a man,” Moses smiles. “I know my status and can make decisions to protect myself and my family. Yes, today was a good day.”
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