EDITOR – I am writing this letter to correct the nonfactual statement published in a daily newspaper on 25 July alleging that I had distanced myself from City administration ahead of the end of my tenure as the Mayor of eThekwini.
I assure you that these allegations are unfounded as I will continue to actively play my role in the administration of the City until the end of my tenure on 3 August when eThekwini residents along with all citizens of the country exercise their democratic right to vote at polls across the country.
I will continue to be at the forefront as the City continues to use events as leverage platforms in terms of encouraging visitors to showcase what the City and the Province have to offer.
This month alone I have graced and participated in local and international events such as the 21st International AIDS Conference where I, along with my colleagues, welcomed over 20 000 delegates to the City. This was a major milestone, as this was the second time we had been honoured the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude.
I have also had the privilege to play an integral role in the launching of the City’s first One Stop Shop, which will reignite economic growth and improve ease of doing business in eThekwini Municipality for developers and investors.
To further demonstrate my dedication as Mayor, among countless other programmes I have spearheaded, I recently welcomed a high-level government delegation led by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa which visited Inanda, north of Durban to evaluate the progress and impact of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), a national project which is set to create six million job opportunities by 2019.
We had the pleasure of also being joined by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MEC’S, and traditional leadership.
Again, I assure residents of my full commitment and passion in driving basic service delivery to all our citizens, as well as providing a platform for economic growth.
Mayor James Nxumalo
eThekwini Municipality
