Metro
10 September 2006
President Thabo Mbeki completed a successful Imbizo in the Nelson Mandela
Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape Province at 17h00 today. The President
was accompanied by Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi,
Eastern Cape Acting Premier Thobile Mhlahlo several cabinet ministers and
deputy ministers as well as senior government officials.
The Imbizo which began yesterday morning included:
* a visit to the Soweto on Sea informal settlement - recently affected by
floods
* interaction with the community of Uitenhage
* a visit to the Despatch agricultural co-operative
* a visit to the Motherwell Police station which is part of the Presidential
Urban Renewal project
* several door-to-door visits where the President listened to community
suggestions and concerns
* a meeting with local business, religious leaders, Non Governmental
Organisations and Community Based Organisations.
Throughout the Metro, the President was enthusiastically received with
throngs of people assembling to greet and embrace him.
The President noted that the Metro is functioning well but needed to focus
on its Local Economic Development Strategy in greater detail. He commended the
Metro for impressive service delivery record such as a 93% and 95% delivery of
sanitation and water services respectively. There the Metro has similarly
succeeded to provide electricity to 97% of the households.
Of significance to the government's plan to restore the dignity of people,
the Metro has, since 2001, removed 16 550 toilet buckets and aims to eradicate
the system in totality by 2007. Impressive results have similarly been
registered in other areas; such as the continuing provision of electricity in
97, 5% of households in the period up to the last financial year.
The President called upon people living in flood plains to co-operate with
the Metro's efforts to relocate them to better and safe land where the Metro
has committed R5 million for the construction of 6000 temporary settlements. A
further R74 million has been committed for the construction of 600 permanent
homes.
The Metro also reported progress regarding the provision of infrastructure
for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup and expressed confidence in its ability to
complete the infrastructure well ahead of 2010.
The President expressed appreciation and satisfaction with the positive
spirit which residents of the Metro demonstrate. He said that this was
indicative of the confidence that people have towards the government and its
commitment to partner with them in delivering a better life; well illustrating,
once again, The Age of Hope that increasingly pervades South African
Society.
For more information, please contact: Mukoni Ratshitanga
Tel: (012) 300 5436
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: The Presidency
10 September 2006
Source: SAPA
