Mtubatuba – ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Sihle Zikalala has reiterated the party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa’s words, saying that it is committed to deliver services promptly and consistently.
Zikalala was speaking to a full house of supporters at the ANC’s manifesto launch in Mtubatuba, in the Umkhanyakude district in north-eastern KZN, ahead of the upcoming local government elections in November.
Zikalala delivered the party’s 10 pledges to supporters, among them, included a pledge of deploying honest and competent local leaders, deploy men and women who are committed to service delivery as well as stimulating local economies.
The KZN leader also said the ruling party would forge partnerships with communities and social partners, including the private sector, in order to benefit local communities.
Zikalala said the ANC was committed to remaining accountable and transparent and pledged to root out corruption inside the party as well as government structures.
He said within five years, all municipalities will resemble the characteristics of an ideal municipality.
An ideal municipality, according to Zikalala, must be responsive to the needs of the community, ensure the provision of services and promote social and economic delivery, among other characteristics.
In efforts to ramp up service delivery particularly the provision of clean water to previously disadvantaged communities across KZN, Zikalala recently launched the provinces Water Master Plan.
The plan will require R150 million over the next 10 to 15 years, the ANC provincial chair said.
“Our plans for the period ahead are focused on the transformation imperatives that will accelerate growth, create work opportunities and build a more equal society in order to eliminate poverty and unemployment and create sustainable livelihoods.
“The ANC seek political power not for its own sake but to advance the National Democratic Revolution in favour of blacks in general and Africans in particular.
“We plead with all people to give the ANC a new mandate to continue on its journey of transforming our society.
“Only the ANC can fulfil the promise of building a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, equal, and prosperous society,” Zikalala said.
Mtubatuba, just north of Richards Bay, is one of five municipalities in the uMkhanyakude District in north-eastern KZN and has a population of just over 200 000 people that are spread across its 20 wards.
ANC crowds in high spirits ahead of Provincial Chair Sihle Zikalala's speech at the party's manifesto launch in Mtubatuba, KZN. Video: Jehran Naidoo/IOL Politics
The municipality has been under the governance of the IFP since the 2016 local government elections but was reclaimed by the ANC last year after a vote of no confidence in the mayor, Velenkosini Gumede, was passed.
Political Bureau