NMZ VIEWPOINT

GREETINGS to all.

PUBLIC PROTESTS

Once again, we would like to express our gratitude to the community of Umzimkhulu for being patient with the municipality on service delivery backlogs.

We understand from continuous engagements with our communities that the key challenges are electricity, roads and water. As a municipality, we have evidently raised some funds to fast-track some of these backlogs. We also understand and respect the fact that communities have rights of expression when they feel that there is negligence on the pace but we would like to vocally condemn demolishing of existing infrastructure during the processes of expression. Damaging of existing infrastructure is barbaric and unhuman as it reverses all the gains.

2018 UMZIMKHULU HORSE RACING

As a municipality we partnered with Umzimkhulu Horse Riding Association, holding an annual event for the horse racing. This prestigious annual event draws participants from within the Harry Gwala District Municipality with some coming from as far as KZN and Eastern Cape.

This structure is quite popular in the horse riding sector due to its commitment and successes during the competitions.

In 2018, after decades of existence, the Umzimkhulu Horse Riding event was adopted by the KZN Rural Horse Riding Association to an extent that it has since been included in the KZN calendar.

This is such a huge achievement as this event will now be able to attract more attention.

This year`s event will be held at Ntlabeni Village of Ward 13 on September 24, in Umzimkhulu. Department of Sport and Recreation, Harry Gwala District Municipality and private sector are partnering to ensure that this event becomes a success.

UMZIMKHULU GETTING READY FOR TOURISM MONTH

That time of the year whereby the entire nation will be embracing its cultural diversity is on the doorstep.

To be part of these celebrations, Umzimkhulu Municipality will be hosting a parade whereby everyone is invited to showcase their diverse cultures in the streets of the rural-based town.

Everyone will be parading from the entrance of the town to Umzimkhulu Park through the taxi rank.

This event is sure to be a show stopper as the entire town usually comes to a stand-still while traditional attire becomes the talk of the town. To enhance this event, horse riders and traditional groups, including partnered sponsors, will further partake in an exhibition that will take place at Umzimkhulu Park.

WOMEN AND CHILD ABUSE

It is with great sadness to observe the growing statistics of women and girls abuse in our communities.

We firstly would like to appeal to all men and boys to stand together, without competing amongst themselves, without fear nor favour, to take a stand by fighting any form of abuse directed to women and girls. Our societal objectives will be meaningless and further defeated if these abuses are not decisively dealt with, especially by men and boys.

Until we meet again.