By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has re-affirmed government commitment to provide water to local communities in Tsomo in the Chris Hani District Municipality.
Ramaphosa was speaking at the ninth Presidential Imbizo held in Tsomo in the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
The Presidential Imbizo serves as a platform for face-to-face engagement between citizens and senior government leaders, holding the administration accountable and allowing government to consult and update communities on development and service delivery in the relevant areas.
Ramaphosa commended those people who did not only raise their concerns or grievances, but also commended what government is doing to improve people’s lives.
“There is a lot that government is doing to improve people’s lives, for all your grievances, there are answers, “Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa also commended the local communities for heeding the call to attend the Imbizo.
“This is the biggest community Imbizo we have ever been to, I thank you all for coming,” said Ramaphosa.
The local communities were given an opportunity to raise their concerns before Ramaphosa and his Cabinet ministers.
Siyamthanda Maqoko from Cofimvaba said she is happy that the President has visited their area.
“I hope the President is going to address the many challenges that we have here. We have a water problem, our roads are not good. We hope the President is going to address our grievances and all our challenges,” Maqoko said.
Asked how she feels about 30 years of democracy, Maqoko said she is happy because government has done a lot to improve people’s lives.
“Even though there are still challenges, many people who did not have houses, they now have houses, new schools have been built and most households now have electricity,” she said, adding that people now participate in the running of the government.
Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu assured the locals that government is doing everything in its power to ensure that there is water in communities.
“We are working in ensuring that our communities get water. We have already started with some of the projects, “Mchunu said.
Mchunu told the locals that money has been allocated to the municipalities to speed up water projects.
Most raised concerns about water, poor road conditions, lack of job opportunities and other services.
Today is the ninth Presidential Imbizo since government commenced with the District Development Model (DDM) programme in March 2022 in Mahikeng in the North West province.
The DDM is an integrated planning model for Cooperative Governance that seeks to ensure an integrated, district-based service delivery approach aimed at fast-tracking service delivery.
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Video Courtesy of SABC.