Dundonald: Government has called on community members in the Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality in Mpumalanga to attend the Government Exhibition Day (GED) on Thursday and make use of the wide range of government services available. The GED forms part of the Government Communication and Information System's (GCIS) ongoing national outreach programme aimed at bringing essential government services, information, and resources directly to communities, particularly those in remote and underserved areas.
According to South African Government News Agency, the one-stop-shop exhibition enables residents to engage face-to-face with multiple government departments in a single location, reducing the need for long-distance travel. Key services to be provided at the Government Exhibition Day include applications and collections of identity documents, social grants enquiries, free health screenings, tax-related assistance, and employment opportunities registration.
The GCIS, in partnership with the Mpumalanga Provincial Government, will host the event at the Dundonald Shopping Complex. In preparation for the GED, GCIS hosted a Community Media Sector Workshop focused on strengthening the capacity, compliance, and sustainability of community media in Mpumalanga. The workshop was addressed by the Mpumalanga MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Thulasizwe Thomo.
The workshop brought together representatives from the community media sector, senior government officials, and the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) to discuss media-buying compliance, access to funding, and government support. Additionally, a session by the Commission for Gender Equality guided participants on gender-sensitive writing and reporting, particularly concerning Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
Furthermore, on Wednesday, 24 June, GCIS will host youth cooperatives entrepreneurship empowerment seminars across the province in Chief Albert Luthuli, Nkomazi, and Thembisile Hani local municipalities.