District mayor’s Inauguration ceremony

During her address as the new Nkangala District Municipality mayor, Cllr Linah Malatjie emphasised on unity in building the district.

She quoted from the late state president saying that the international icon, Nobel Peace laureate, revolutionary and founding Father of the nation, the late President Nelson Mandela on the occasion of his inauguration as State President in Cape Town on the historic day of the May 9 in 1994 said the following:

“Today we are entering a new era for our country and it’s people. Today we celebrate not the victory of a party, but a victory for all the people of South Africa”

He further said:

“Our country has arrived at a decision. Among all the parties that contested the elections, the overwhelming majority of South Africans have mandated the African National Congress to lead our country into the future. The South Africa we have struggled for, in which all our people, be they African, coloured, Indian or white, regard themselves as citizens of one nation”

She explained that as the district begins this new term, history has repeated itself once again and here they were as servants of the people representing the African National Congress in the dynamic Nkangala District Municipality as the movement continues to prosecute its struggle for socio-economic freedom during the second phase of the struggle facing challenges that are in many instances vastly different from those that faced forebears throughout all the years since the advent of democracy in 1994.

The new Nkangala District Municipality mayor, Cllr Linah Malatjie

Mayor Malatjie also emphasised the role played by her predecessors and as a political collective have a mandate to continuously put the district on an ambitious and positive growth trajectory and turn the district into one where people can live with hope and work with dignity and confidence for the future. She also pointed out that they need to move with speed to ensure a better life for all and a strong, resilient and prosperous Nkangala District Municipality.

“We have now entered the 22nd year of freedom, ready to continue the drive to make our District the centre of Service Delivery and excellence that our communities really deserve. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the women’s march to the Union Buildings in 1956. We remember and celebrate the invaluable contribution of these heroines to the struggle. The liberation struggle and the women’s struggles cannot be separated. We thus, continue with our endeavour of advancing women in all sectors of society. For instance, the number of women leaders in the district is way above the 50% mark. “I gama lamaKhosikazi Malibongwe”

The mayor said she was encouraged by the Paralympic Team South Africa, which has obtained a total of 17 medals from the Olympics in Brazil, adding to the 10 medals achieved by the able bodies Team South Africa. Reminded the people about Ntando Mahlangu from Tweefontein in Thembisile Local Municipality District and that he has made the district proud by achieving a gold medal. She also asked the people to put their hands together in honour of global icon, Umama Esther Mahlangu, for once again putting Nkangala District on the world map, by painting the interior of a BMW vehicle, thus showcasing our rich and diverse cultural heritage internationally. Witbank Spurs were acknowledged as one of the district of champions and call upon the people to support them.

She also spoke about the aspects of the global growth forecast which is not expected to go beyond 2,4%.

“However, projections based on improvements to the global economy and the successful completion of Medupi and Kusile Power Stations suggest that growth could rise to an estimated 0.7% in 2016 and 1.4% in 2017. The average growth rate for Mpumalanga is forecasted to reach a high of 3.5%in 2016 with Nkangala District expected to record an annual average growth rate of 3.4% by 2016. Nkangala District was the largest contributor to the Provincial Gross Value Added (GVA) with a share of 37.9% in 1996 and 39.7% in 2011.The District made a considerable contribution to the province’s utilities industry at 71.7% and the mining industry at 66.9% industries in 2011. Mpumalanga was the Province with the fourth highest positive trade balance in 2011 after Gauteng, North West and Limpopo. Amongst the three districts, Nkangala recorded the largest positive trade balance of R5.1 billion in 2011. Similarly the District was at 46.4% the main contributor to the province in 2011. On the educational front, Nkangala registered the largest share of people 20 years and older that have completed matric at 21.6% with those who have completed higher education at 7.2% in 2011,” said Mayor Malatjie.

The new Nkangala District Municipality mayor, Cllr Linah Malatjie entering the hall and before taking an oath of office.

With regard to service delivery and infrastructure development in Nkangala 92.7% had access to any type of piped water than in any of the districts. According to the 2012 Blue Drop Report, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality recorded an impressive 97.4% in 2012, which is the highest in the Province. The extent of human development of our communities in the district rose from 0.54% in 1996 to 0.57% in 2011.Emalahleni Local Municipality recorded the highest rate at 0.63% followed by Steve Tshwete at 0.62% within the Province whilst Dr J.S Moroka and Thembisile Hani recorded the lowest levels at just above 0.50%. 88% of the population of the district currently have access to water, a further 67,7 percent of the population have access to sanitation. A whopping 81,5% have electricity.

The mayor further explained about the breakdown in electricity, water, sanitation, road and storm water, social and disaster management and LED.

On education she said that the district has introduced a bursary scheme for eligible learners to study at tertiary institutions in 2014. A budget of R1.4 million was set aside for that purpose and 29 learners benefited from the scheme. And that the number of bursary holders increased to 56 in 2016 at a cost of R2-million. Nkangala District Municipality increased its matric pass rate from 73% in 2012 to 81.6% in 2015. The District has also introduced Teenage Pregnancy Campaigns and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Campaigns which led to a drastic decrease in the matric dropout rate and contributed largely to the increase in the district pass rate.

She pointed out about the financial and administrative capacity in the district of Nkangala and about the Investment Summit held in April and the on-going engagement with prospective investors for the LED which has yielded positive results. She also stated that she was encouraged by some of the Anchor Projects that are in the pipe line and that six beneficiaries will receive stoves from the district.

Other development initiatives were mentioned as well and a call for propels were made to the business sector to bid for innovative proposals for service delivery

“When our international icon, Statesman and Isithwalandwe, the late President Nelson Mandela delivered his first State of the Nation Address on the 24th May 1994, he quoted from a poem by the late Afrikaans Poet Ingrid Jonker. Nelson Mandela then went on to say that Ingrid Jonker through her poem instructs us that our endeavours must be about the liberation of the woman, the emancipation of a man and the liberty of a child. So we must define for ourselves what we want to make of our shared destiny. Accordingly, the purpose that drives us must be to push back the frontiers of poverty, inequality and unemployment and the continuous expansion of human fulfilment and socio-economic freedom. Therefore the acid test of the legitimacy of the programmes, projects and service delivery initiatives we will put in place during this new term, must be whether they serve the people. This is so because in the District, we have the honour to lead, but the masses who elected us to serve in this role, are inspired by the single vision of creating a developmental local government and a people-centred Nkangala District.”

Mayor Malatjie further thanked all the social partners and her husband, mother and family for the support giving her the strength and resilience to soldier on.

“Nkangala District Municipality is on course in making a difference in people’s lives,” ended Mayor Malatjie.

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