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Budget outlined at community imbizo

SCORES of people gathered at Socolile Hall at Ozwathini to attend a community imbizo recently.

On May 17, the Acting Mayor of uMshwathi, Councillor Mlungisi Dlamini, addressed community members from all 14 wards of uMshwathi. The aim of the imbizo was to outline the 2019/2020 budget as it emanated from a series of community consultations in all wards where community members raised their main priorities of the needs for service delivery.

“I would like to thank the residents of uMshwathi for coming out in their numbers to vote in the recent elections.

“During the elections, there were no incidents of violence reported. This is a sign that we have reached the maturity stage in politics.

“We would like to remind the residents [of uMshwathi] that the municipality is working hard in implementing the laws that regulate all municipalities in South Africa (Municipal Systems Act, No 8 of 2000, chapter 4).

“This Act stipulates that municipalities should draft the budget roadshows, and thereafter give feedback to the community.

“As the municipality, we have challenges due to the fact that our council is a small municipality and we do not have enough budget to pay for all the public services at one time. Therefore, we must be able to prioritise.

“We therefore urge the community to choose the main three priorities [public services] that they want the council to deal with in a year.

“The council delivers various services to better the lives of the residents. We have social programmes, local economic development,” said the acting mayor.

Dlamini said 120 people in uMshwathi benefitted from skills and development programmes offered by the Department of Local Economic Development.

“These programmes include furniture making, crocheting, poultry farming, clothing design and programmes that support farmers.

“UMshwathi Municipality, in conjunction with the District Economic Development Agency, offers Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation. The projects for 2019/20 include a pilot bakery project for New Hanover residents; completion of the furniture learnership and start of operations of the furniture business; refurbishment of the New Hanover Rank Building for businesses owned by local SMME and Cooperatives; and the start of the RASET Pilot Project,” Dlamini said.

This year the municipality has created about 75 job opportunities through the Extended Public Works Programme.

The council has set aside R500 000 for bursaries to support pupils who will be studying at tertiary institutions.

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