Ehlanzeni District mayor hosts four-day imbizo in Nkomazi

Ehlanzeni District Municipality’s (EDM) mayor, Cllr Terra Shabangu, hosted a four-day mayoral imbizo from October 1 to 4.

Shabangu had a series of events lined up for the imbizo, with the main purpose of meeting and greeting the various stakeholders in the area.

The imbizo kicked off with Shabangu meeting with the chiefs of the Matsamo Traditional Authority. “It was good to note that all 14 chiefs were here to sit and have this engagement session with us. We spoke in depth about issues that are a problem in the different communities around Matsamo. One of the pressing issues raised was that of illicit foods by local spaza shops. Luckily, as the EDM, we are the ones who deal with that and we have promised the chiefs that we will take an extensive look at how we can curb this problem. It is also worth noting that the municipality has had a series of programmes in which our health specialists have come to Nkomazi to inspect these shops, and its worrying that even after so much work, the shops still continue with their wrong ways. But we will surely deal with it and conquer,” said Shabangu.

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He also said the issue of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is prevalent throughout the villages. “It is through such dialogues that we get to find out the issues each village deals with so that we cease to generalise. The issue of GBVF is, however, common among the villages, and we will engage the relevant department to come even closer to the space. We have agreed with the traditional leaders that no issues of rape will be merely discussed among families only. It is criminal behaviour and should be addressed as such. I am also happy to note that all the villages here have community policing forum structures. This means that we are on the same page and together we will deal with crime decisively,” he added.

On October 3, Shabangu and his team cleaned out the waste at Driekoppies Dam before making their way to the cemetery to pick up even more litter. “It is disturbing to see that even though there are municipal services picking up litter from designated places, some people continue to litter anywhere, anyhow. We have picked up tonnes of litter today, and it’s even scarier knowing that the streams here end up in the river. We are somehow endangering our own lives. Part of this imbizo’s purpose is to educate our communities and encourage them to keep a hygienic routine and live healthier lives.”

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EDM’s Department of Economic Development and Planning, in collaboration with the Nkomazi Local Municipality, also hosted a workshop for guest house owners and stakeholders at Schoemansdal Community Hall on the same day. The workshop aimed to enhance guest house quality by training owners on grading council requirements, elevating standards and promoting excellence in hospitality.

Shabangu hosted the main imbizo event at Driekoppies Stadium on October 4, where community members gathered to have a dialogue with him and the various stakeholders.