President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured local communities in Tsomo in the Chris Hani District Municipality that providing water to communities is government’s priority.
“Izimbizo are meant for government to listen to communities, whether you have a complaint, you have an opportunity here,” President Ramaphosa told residents on Friday.
The President was speaking at the ninth Presidential Imbizo held in Tsomo in the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
The Presidential Imbizo serves as a platform for face-to-face engagement between citizens and senior government leaders, holding the administration accountable and allowing government to consult and update communities on development and service delivery in the relevant areas.
President Ramaphosa commended those people who did not only raise their concerns or grievances, but also commended what government is doing to improve people’s lives.
“There is a lot that government is doing to improve people’s lives, for all your grievances, there are answers,” President Ramaphosa said.
President Ramaphosa also commended the local communities for heeding the call to attend the Imbizo.
“This is the biggest community Imbizo we have ever been to, I thank you all for coming,” said President Ramaphosa.
The local communities were given an opportunity to raise their concerns before President Ramaphosa and his Cabinet ministers.
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu assured the locals that government is doing everything in its power to ensure that there is water in communities.
“We are working in ensuring that our communities get water. We have already started with some of the projects,” Mchunu said.
Mchunu told the locals that money has been allocated to the municipalities to speed up water projects.
Most raised concerns about water, poor road conditions, lack of job opportunities and other services.
Today is the ninth Presidential Imbizo since government commenced with the District Development Model (DDM) programme in March 2022 in Mahikeng in the North West province.
The DDM is an integrated planning model for Cooperative Governance that seeks to ensure an integrated, district-based service delivery approach aimed at fast-tracking service delivery.
The President’s visit here in Tsomo brought hope to many people in the Chris Hani District Municipality.
Siyamthanda Maqoko from Cofimvaba told SAnews that she is happy that the President has visited their area.
“I hope the President is going to address the many challenges that we have here. We have a water problem, our roads are not good. We hope the President is going to address our grievances and all our challenges,” Maqoko said.
Asked how she feels about 30 years of democracy, Maqoko said she is happy because government has done a lot to improve people’s lives.
“Even though there are still challenges, many people who did not have houses, they now have houses, new schools have been built and most households now have electricity,” she said, adding that people now participate in the running of the government.
Maqoko expressed concern about the high number of young people who are taking drugs, appealing to government to create more job opportunities for young people.
“Government must create job opportunities for young people, this will make our youth to stop taking drugs,” she said.
A learner from Tsomo Mission in Tsomo, Ovayo Booi, told SAnews that the President must intervene and ensure that those who do not have houses should be assisted to get houses.
“Government must help our communities to get houses, water and electricity. Government must also build more schools,” Booi said.
Thabisa Zwakala, a mother of three, said she is happy that the President is in their area, which means government has not forgotten about them.
“For the President to come here, this shows that we are important and that government is going to address our grievances,” Zwakala said, adding that she believes that the communities are going to change for the better.
“Our area is very poor, no water and our roads are very bad,” she said.
Prior to engaging with the local communities, President Ramaphosa started the Imbizo by visiting the local Water Treatment Plant which is expected to help provide water in the area.
Upon his arrival, President Ramaphosa was briefed about the plant by the municipal officials.
He then conducted a walkabout at the plant and thereafter proceeded to the Imbizo venue where he was welcomed by the locals.
Source: South African Government News Agency