Gert Sibande District Municipality officially welcomed and opened the local house of traditional leaders at the district municipality in Ermelo on 4 November.
Councillor Muzi Chirwa, district executive mayor, gave a speech at the opening of the Gert Sibande Local House of Traditional Leaders (GSLHTL).
This important milestone and the significance of this institution which is recognised by the Constitution of South Africa was addressed.
According to Ms Bongi Ka Dube, spokesman of GSDM, the opening is a chance for Cllr Chirwa to report to traditional leaders about commitments and plans tabled in 2019 and to table new plans to address service delivery challenges.
Ms Ka Dube said: “It allows the house to continue with its primary tasks of promoting the interests of communities as traditional leaders are custodians of cultures and heritage.”
“GSDM values and respects the Gert Sibande Local House of Traditional Leaders which consists of 17 traditional councils.”
Cllr Chirwa highlighted the success stories shared by the cooperation which exists between the local house of traditional leaders and the district municipality.
The district municipality provides support to the local house of traditional leaders, including the provision of tools of the trade to all traditional leaders, capacity building, financial support towards cultural activities known as ‘ummemo’ or cultural celebrations, provision of sanitisers and decontamination services to the traditional council offices and provision of office space and meeting rooms at the district municipality in Ermelo.
Ms Ka Dube said: “Traditional leaders have access to the public participation bakkies for loud hailing purposes in order to communicate with their communities.”
“Public consultations are held with traditional leaders in terms of the Integrated Development Plan and the members of the executive committee are members of the GSDM council.”
For many years, numerous service delivery projects have been implemented in the field of traditional leaders (amakhosi), their views and concerns are always encouraged as members of the district municipality.
Read the complete article in the Highvelder newspaper.
