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eNdumeni Local Municipality: As directed by the Premier Sihle Zikalala, I have joined other members of the executive council as part of Operation Sukuma Sakhe Cabinet Day in UMzinyathi District Municipality. I am currently visiting different wards in eNdumeni Local Municipality to monitor the delivery of socio-economic infrastructure.

We have taken time to analyse the achievements and weaknesses in our service delivery programmes. We have undertaken to execute our programmes with energy and determination to bring meaningful change to the lives of our people.

Public Works Department and Health infrastructure - R12 million in Dundee Laundry   

I have assembled a team of officials in the departments of Public Works to assess progress in the upgrade and refurbishment of Dundee Regional Laundry. This facility is servicing health public health institutions in the district. Our view is that a reliable laundry service is critical in any public health institution.

More than R12 million has been invested to upgrade the boilers, equipment and entire structure in order to meet health standards and ensure the provision of quality healthcare. Our patients deserves comfort and therefore, we are conscious of the need to ensure adequate supply of clean linen to ensure the safety of patients.

The combined value of three projects around the rollout of health infrastructure at Dundee Laundry is more than R51  million.

Critically, our role as the Public Works is to support the Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, health professionals and the entire health fraternity in their quest to cushion the people of this province against COVID-19.

Speed in ensuring decent Human Settlements - R27 million for houses in eNdumeni

Importantly, today we also want to demonstrate our commitment to ensure that a new wave of human settlements delivery is felt by the people of eNdumeni Local Municipality.

We are monitoring the construction of human settlements under the Dlamini Forestdale Housing Project. We have set aside more than R27 million towards this Integrated Residential Project in ward 4 and 6.

We remain committed to deal decisively with the devastating effects of Group Areas Act, a system under apartheid government which was designed to ensure racial segregation. We are doubling our efforts to ensure racial integration – a very important step towards social cohesion. The people of this province, irrespective of the colour of their skin are entitled to have access to decent houses, basic services such as water and electricity.

Rural Development  and improved quality of life

Importantly, both Public Works and Human Settlements departments are geared towards supporting the programme of Rural Development.

We share the believe that rural development will help to ensure that the people live in areas where people they could live with their families - work, access decent education and have access to quality healthcare. In various platforms we have reiterated our belief that rural development will also help solve migration to big cities where there is competition of land and accommodation.

Our message today is that job creation through construction of community facilities and human settlements will be the base on which the social mobilisation will be anchored. Through Operation Sukuma Sakhe, all categories of staff under the department are actively in a campaign aimed at promoting human values, fighting crime, diseases and social ills to ensure that we build a winning province.

As guided by both Operation Sukuma Sakhe and District Development Model, we are forming partnerships with communities and leaders of society. 

This Friday – 4 June, I will meet formally, with Operation Sukuma Sakhe structures in Zululand District Municipality in my capacity as the Sukuma Sakhe District Champion.

Let us stand up and build.

Asisukume Sakhe

Issued by the KZN MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Jomo Sibiya