Umsebe Accord project nets a wobbling R325 00

MBOMBELA – The 10-year Umsebe Accord between the cities of Mbombela, Nkomazi, Matola in Mozambique and Mbabane in Swaziland, was taken to another level when one of the initiatives to develop and bring relief to local communities was put into gear.

There arose a case study conducted by both Mbabane and Mbombela a few months in Hilltop, a settlement in Mbabane, whereby, a Dlamini family’s crisis was documented and brought to the fore to seek financial relief for the family who live with a three-year-old Zwakele Dlamini who lives a physical disability.

There is also another wheelchair-bound child in the family that lives in abject poverty.

No sooner had the delegation returned home that under the leadership of executive mayor, Cllr Sibusiso Mathonsi put the whole motion into gear when they organised a breakfast with their counterparts from both Mbabane and Matola being hosted in Mbombela.

A staggering sum of R325 000 was raised through pledges by local business, political leadership and general community to build the Dlamini family in Swaziland a house whose costs had been calculated at R140 000.

But there is also a need to furnish the house fully and other amenities which will turn their lives around completely for the better.

Not only did the family receive financial pledges, but also medical, spiritual pledges will go hand in hand with the financial assistance because it was felt that in order to avoid a recurring problem among communities, financial aid needs to be accompanied by the above-mentioned so as to eradicate poverty and bring about communities that shall rise up and be worthy members of their communities.

According to Mathonsi, “This is the first project within this treaty and I am here now, committing the membership to identify 10 needy families within the three countries and we need to build 10 more houses for these families.

We really need to benchmark on social needs within the Umsebe Accord and it must be a legacy to doing that.”

“I must say that we need to hasten the work of the Accord to go beyond just events and activities, but it must begin to bring forth deliverables in terms of growing the economy and benefitting our business community as we go along.

In Matola we were challenged that they had land and we have multi-national companies that can invest in that municipality.
“During my current tenure, I commit myself to monitoring the practicality of the functioning of the Accord.

We need to look into accelerated growth for all four municipalities as we look into growing tourism, business exchange and many others including cultural exchange as the mayor of Matola has requested that we also must exchange the ubuntu that we possess as Mbombela.

“We should revive the economic activity within the three countries, one of which emanated from the 2010 world cup when the 3-In-1 tour was introduced hereby you could eat breakfast in Mbabane, shop around, eat lunch in Mbombela and eventually enjoy your dinner and nightlife in Mozambique all on the same day.

“I will further be establishing offices of the Umsebe Accord here in Mbombela so to ease things up for its functionality,” said Mathonsi.
MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Mr Eric Kholwane in his address said: “It is now time for action all the way.

Enough of talking, but you need to be implementing all of those plans so that local business from the four cities can start benefitting.”

Mbombela municipal manager, Mr NM Seanego said: “We are indeed an honour and humbled by your presence here in this gathering this morning and we are grateful that you accepted the invitation from the municipality that we could have time to engage even at this very busy season of the year.

We are indebted to your consideration and positive attitude to the course.

“This meeting is convened just after a relatively successful annual event held under the banner of Umsebe Accord, held in the Kingdom of Swaziland in the city of Mbabane October 24 to 26 October, 2014.

Some of you had the opportunity to be part of those festivities and had a sense of what this partnership is all about.

“However, the political leadership saw it fit and important that we have this engagement for further understanding of what Umsebe Accord stands for and seeks to achieve. More importantly, the role you as business have on the accord.

“As the new captain at the helm of the Mbombela administration, I am aware that one would have to hit the ground running, especially now that in Mbabane we accepted the baton and promised that the accord will be elevated to another level on the 2015 version to be hosted by Mbombela.

“This is a partnership spanning over a decade, but only three years old in its new era. The first era was about mobilizing support for the soccer world cup, which we at Mbombela will be forever grateful for the support we received from our sister municipalities in the both here at home and our neighbouring countries.

“Now in the new era, the Municipality of Matola in Mozambique, the Municipality of Mbabane in Swaziland, the Municipality of Mbombela and the Municipality of Nkomazi in South Africa, have established a Multilateral Cooperation Protocol and to be known as the “Umsebe Accord.”

“Whereas, these Municipalities, further thereto on: have developed and promote cooperation and understanding between the citizens of their Municipalities including their respective three countries; are committed with to the objectives of SADC Treaty; Areas of Good Practice as part of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

“They also consider the benefit of friendship and cooperative relations to be established between the Kingdom of Swaziland, the Republic of Mozambique and the Republic of South Africa; are aware of the need of the engagement of all in the fight against any manifestation of Xenophobia;

“We also acknowledge that in a world where interdependence is increasingly growing, mutual understanding and good neighbourhood and strong decentralized cooperation are crucial for achieving the goals of the Four Cities; Hereby established an accord of alliance to pursue the following goals:

* To promote mutual respect and understanding of the culture and traditions of citizens of each municipality, including cultural exchange programmes;

* Promote and safeguard good health of the citizens;

* To establish youth and women empowerment programmes on matters of governance and development;

* To promote business opportunities and Local Economic Development among the Four Cities;

* To promote technical, administrative and management skills exchange, with more focus on the following areas:

– Environmental Health
– Planning Issues
– Investment promotion/ Local Economic Development
– Culture and Tourism
– Finance programme
– Youth and Recreation
– To establish exchange programmes for Councilors on matters of common interest in municipal governance

“The goals or pillars of this accord are implemented through festivities that take place either at a municipality to municipality level or during a structured communal festivity for each calendar year that will involve the signatories according to approved plans.

“A formidable task team called the Central Organizing Committee (COC) among the Municipalities that oversees the implementation of these plans. This team reports to the technical team comprising of the municipal managers, who in turn elevate matters to the political team of the Executive Mayors.

“The cities have also agreed that there will be revision of the terms of the Protocol and the orientation of the programmes after 5 years of implementation, notwithstanding that, within that period of five years, the four cities may agree on new approaches that can be implemented through addenda to this Protocol.

“The present Protocol is a commitment by the four cities and a duty lies on them to ensure, by all means, its complete, full and timely application,” he ended.