President Zuma extends his programme of building safer communities and improving service delivery to Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape
President Jacob Zuma will on Saturday, 24 June 2017 undertake a Siyahlola Presidential Monitoring Visit to Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape, with a strong focus on building safer communities and the improvement of service delivery in Lusikisiki and the surrounding communities.
Lusikisiki is faced with enormous challenges relating to huge service delivery backlogs in infrastructure, high levels of poverty and underdevelopment especially among the youth, access to dwelling units, proper sanitation, electricity, water as well as refuse removal.
It is also one of the areas hardest-hit by crime in South Africa, with a widely reported gang called “Amavondo” said to be terrorising the community. Malizole, Mdikana and Joe Slovo villages as well as New Rest and Unity Park have the most prevalent incidents that relate to the “Amavondo” gang criminal acts.
In terms of the challenges in education, the community of Kuhombe in Ward 20 are planning to build a High School and have requested assistance from the Department of Basic Education. Currently, leaners have to travel about 15 to 20 kilometres to get to nearby schools and each household in the area is contributing R350 towards the building of the school.
In addition, roads within Lusikisiki and those leading to and out of Lusikisiki (R61) are in bad condition, full of potholes and stray animals, requiring a massive infrastructure upgrade.
President Zuma has previously expressed his concern at the slow pace of service delivery in the remote rural communities such as Lusikisiki and other areas.
During the visit the President will:
a) Visit Lusikisiki Police Station to interact with Police Management, take a guided tour of the newly built Police Station as well as assess and gain first-hand account of progress, particularly in relation to fighting crime in the area
b) Visit St Elizabeth Hospital on a guided tour as well as assess the delivery of primary health services and challenges faced by the community
c) Visit the SASSA Local Office situated on the premises of Lusikisiki College of Education to inspect the facility and its operations.
The Siyahlola Monitoring Visit will also assess progress and challenges in the delivery of transport, infrastructure and other basic services to the community of Lusikisiki.
President Zuma will be accompanied by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs and mayors.
President Zuma has already taken the fight against crime and building safer communities to Nyanga and Elsie’s River in Cape Town, Soshanguve in Tshwane and KwaMhlabuyalingana in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Enquiries:
Dr Bongani Ngqulunga
Cell: 082 308 9373
Email: bongani@presidency.gov.za
