District, Free State
6 May 2006
President Thabo Mbeki today concluded his first Imbizo for the year in the
Eastern Free State community of Warden Thabo Mofutsanyana District with
extensive interactions with municipal leadership, stakeholders and members of
communities.
Whereas last year's Izimbizo focused on municipalities under Project
Consolidate, this year will in addition, include local stakeholders and
communities.
The State of the District Report presented to the President gave an honest
appraisal of service delivery challenges faced by the district. These include:
problems in access to land by emerging farmers, evictions of farm workers by
some farmers in the district, limited and in some instances, lack of technical
skills throughout the district's municipalities. The three spheres of
government have agreed to embark on short, medium and long-term interventions
to address these shortcomings; starting with a joint on 9 May 2006 meeting to
refine the Municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs).
The Imbizo also saw the President interacting with the local business
leaders, commercial and emerging farmers. The stakeholders presented the
President with numerous proposals aimed at improving governmentâs capacity to
implement development programmed, thus underscoring the importance of the
partnership between government and all critical role players.
President Mbeki noted that after twelve years of working together, business
and government were comfortable with one another and must work ever closely to
grow the economy and to accelerate development.
In what became a jubilant interaction, the President went door-to-door
visiting various households. Residents expressed appreciation of the
governmentâs target to eliminate the bucket system by 2007 to which the
municipal leadership reiterated its commitment.
The Imbizo was concluded at Warden where the President listened to concerns
by members of the community.
Enquiries: Mukoni Ratshitanga
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of The
Presidency
6 May 2006
