President Cyril Ramaphosa led the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo in Batlharos Sports Ground, Ga-Segonyana under the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, Northern Cape Province. The Presidential Imbizo themed "Leave No One Behind”, was held on Thursday, 09 May 2024.
This was the last and the 13th Presidential Imbizo of the 6th administration aimed at promoting participatory democracy and inclusive development by allowing community members and stakeholders to voice proposals and express their concerns or dissatisfaction they may have about conditions in the district or province.
Preceding the Imbizo was a series of build-up activities led by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs and Mayors, across the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality and the Northern Cape Province.
Key to build up activities was the handing over of 5700 serviced sites to the Gamagara Local Municipality by the Provincial Government led by Premier Zamani Saul, which is the biggest single human settlement project in the history of the province and costed the Provincial Government R380 Million. It is a mixed typology development as 3587 sites allocated towards RDP houses, 1100 for the missing middle, 550 for high-income groups and 506 for business and social amenities.
Prior to the commencement of the community engagement, the President together with Northern Cape Premier, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Mayors held a brief engagement with the TROIKA of John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District, where they expressed their gratitude for the continuous community engagement, as this was the second Presidential Imbizo in the Province. The meeting received and noted report on the state of the JTG District, highlighting strategic areas, challenges, successes and plans going forward to ensure effective and efficient functioning municipalities in the JTG District.
The President, accompanied by the Premier of the Province, Dr. Zamani Saul, Minister of Cooperative and Traditional Affairs, Ms. Thembi Nkadimeng, Deputy Ministers, Parks Tau and Dr. Regina Mhaule, conducted a meet-and greet with the Traditional Leaders at the Ba-Ga Motlhware Tribal House.
During the Imbizo, a number of government departments and entities exhibited onsite, providing different information and services to the people. Home Affairs mobile trucks were available providing different services such as applications for identity documents and passports amongst other services.
The Imbizo was attended by thousands of community members, civil servants, private sector and the NGO’s. During the engagement, community members raised a variety of service delivery issues, on top of the issues raised were youth unemployment, poor health conditions, shortage of water, housing and illegal mining.
In the spirit of living no one behind, the President called upon various ministers who were in attendance, to respond to the issues that were raised by community members.
Key intervention to the youth unemployment, the Department of Employment and Labour will launch UIF activation programme on Friday, 10 May 2024 in Kimberley, themed "Bereka Mosha". Various companies will receive appointment letters and contracts. The programme will benefit over 13 000 young people, and an amount of R425m has been injected in the programme.
Regarding the issue of illegal mining, government has launched operation Vala Umgodi, to deal with illegal mining.
On the issue of shortage of water government did a handover of seven boreholes, pump house buildings and associated works to the community of Tsantsabane local municipality by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Thembisile Nkadimeng. This forms part of the key intervention that the government has made to ensure the provision of water to the community of Tsantsabane to better their lives.
In conclusion, the President handed over title deeds to the residents of John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality in an effort to address the issue of housing in the municipality. He also acknowledged the robust engagement by community members and their willingness to work with government in ‘leaving no one behind’.
Enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za
