Mayor launches community development project
Speaking at the launch, Clr Gungubele said the time had come for residents to be actively involved in the development of their communities.
The executive mayor of Ekurhuleni, Clr Mondli Gungubele, launched the Lungile Mstshali Community Development Project last week.
The project, which is the first of its kind, will see each ward in the municipality receive R1-million for the community to spend on developmental projects of their choice.
Speaking at the launch, Clr Gungubele said the time had come for residents to be actively involved in the development of their communities.
“The Lungile Mtshali Community Development Project is a ward-based project aimed at creating jobs and fighting poverty in the region,” said Clr Gungubele.
He added that such projects are pivotal for a municipality which has an unemployment rate of 28.8 percent.
Of this number, 40 percent of those who are unemployed are youngsters.
“This can also be viewed as the city’s intervention to build an active and responsive citizenry in our efforts to fast-track service delivery in the region,” said Clr Gungubele.
Over and above the R1-million for each ward, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) will continue to deliver and broaden services to communities with its annual budget of R30-billion.
The Lungile Mtshali Community Development Project has created more than 3 000 jobs in the region.
Projects will be centred around energy efficiency, water and sanitation, wetland rehabilitation and waste management as well as greening and landscaping.
“Some people may think the amount is not enough. However, for us it is not about the money but the intervention of building active and responsive citizens who will be able to deal with the developmental issues of their areas while at the same time, addressing the scourge of poverty,” said Clr Gungubele.
“This project allows our people to get directly involved in the upkeep of their areas and learn critical skills that will take them off the streets in the future,” he added.
The EMM has undertaken to continue its campaign by allocating the R1-million per ward for the next three financial years starting this year.
Qualifying projects are intended to serve as a catalyst for skills growth, poverty alleviation, job creation and urban renewal.
Lungile Mtshali was a former councillor in Ekurhuleni who died after a short illness in 2010.
The project was named after her as a tribute to her involvement within the municipality.
“I remain confident that more jobs are going to be created by this programme,” said Clr Gungubele.
