Ladysmith - Amid an outcry that some municipalities are deviating from their core mandate of service delivery and straying into the field of education by giving bursaries to learners, one mayor has come out to defend the move.
The mayor of Alfred Duma local municipality (Ladysmith), Zama Sibisi, this week said the issue of education is a societal issue, and every sphere of government should get involved in one way or the other.
He added the money they use to fund excelling matric learners from poor households would not affect the budget for service delivery.
Video: Sihle Mavuso/IOL
Sibisi’s defence comes after, since the release of matric results last month, municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal have been crowning their best of the best and helping some of the students with registration fees in institutions of higher learning while waiting for their funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Among the municipalities that have undertaken this include eThekwini, Mthonjaneni (Melmoth) and King Cetshwayo district, which spent R1.2 million on 200 learners.
WATCH: Bonginkosi Ngcobo, father of Khulekani Ngcobo, best performing matric learner in the Ladysmith area & UThukela district couldn't contain his joy when his son was crowned during the Alfred Duma municipality mayoral excellence awards. Khulekani is going to Wits. pic.twitter.com/5hidHjQ99O
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) February 17, 2023
Critics on social media claimed that these municipalities should stick to issues of service delivery and leave everything to the departments of basic education and higher education and training.
However, Sibisi differs, saying the local government sphere is duty-bound to aid so that it can have well-off ratepayers of the future and families not dependent on the state for survival.
“With regards to the issue of sponsoring the learners, we will remember, and I would like to remind all members of the public that these kids come from families where you find that there is no one who is working.
“We, as the municipality, we are the first level of government. So, if we say our government cares, we should be seen caring for our people.
“We should be seen investing in our people to ensure that, in future, they become better citizens of this country and of this municipality.
“In future, we want to see families that are not dependent on the government for their daily living.
“We want to see people that are not dependent on the government for their daily needs. How do you do that? You do that by investing in them by encouraging them,” Sibisi said.
He said their service delivery budget wouldn't be affected by helping the 50 learners with bursaries and crowning another 10 with trophies that come with prizes.
“To us, as Alfred Duma (local municipality), we do not believe that spending a portion of our budget in building careers or the future of our people is a waste of money.
“We believe that we are laying a foundation for a better future for our people.”
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