Author: cogta_adm

The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Sipho Hlomuka has dispatched disaster management teams to the Mpophomeni township following heavy rains coupled with hail that struck a number of houses and severely damaged a petrol station, yesterday afternoon,  which collapsed and damaged four cars and injured two people who were rushed to the nearest hospital.

 

Disaster Management teams have been dispatched by the department to the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage. Hlomuka has continued to urge residents to exercise extreme caution as inclement weather conditions continue to pose a serious danger to human life. Since the beginning of the year, the province has experienced a number of incidents, which have cost human lives and cause millions of rands worth of damage. 

 

Hlomuka has also called upon parents and teachers to ensure that scholars avoid flooded walkways and rivers on their way to school.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka’s efforts to re-engineer and repurpose the sphere of local government in the province received a major boost this morning with the deployment of 500 graduates who will improve the capacity of municipalities to respond to the challenges experienced by communities.

Hlomuka this morning officially launched the two-year Local Government Graduate Internship Programme in Pietermaritzburg, through which his department has hired graduates in various fields, such as engineering, accounting, finance, town planning and others, to strengthen capacity in municipalities.

According to Hlomuka, the launch of this programme is a major turning point in the sphere of local government. “Through this programme, we are turning the tide against youth unemployment while also addressing the shortages of critical skills in our communities. Last year we assessed all our municipalities and the lack of certain skills was one of our main findings. This is why we have come up with this programme,” said Hlomuka.

One of the beneficiaries of this programme, Snethemba Manyoni, has hailed the project as a big breakthrough for her. “Being part of this programme has given me a lot of exposure as a civil engineering graduate. This is an opportunity for me to sharpen my skills and contribute towards government’s efforts aimed at speeding up the delivery of services to our communities,” added Manyoni who is serving her internship at the Msunduzi local municipality.

HLOMUKA WELCOMES THE APPOINTMENT OF SCELO DUMA AS MSUNDUZI MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATIVE 

MEC Hlomuka has also welcomed the appointment of Scelo Duma, a senior official from KZN Cogta, as the ministerial representative at the Msunduzi local municipality.

Duma who is a seasoned local government expert has worked in several roles within the sphere of local government, which include serving as municipal manager and ministerial representative at various municipalities. He is currently the Chief Director for Municipal Governance and Administration in the department.

As Chief Director, Duma is responsible for supporting and monitoring municipalities across the province and as part of that responsibility, manages municipalities under intervention, including Msunduzi.

Duma’s deployment follows the redeployment of former ministerial representative Sibusiso Clement Sithole to the Ugu district. Hlomuka has wished Sithole well in his new role. “Under the tutelage of Sbu Sithole, things began to improve at Msunduzi municipality. Our department is continuing its efforts to stabilise the municipality and the deployment of Scelo Duma is evidence of this,” said Hlomuka.

“We would like to assure Msunduzi residents that matters regarding the municipality are receiving priority attention from the department. Duma has been tasked to complete the work started by Sithole of stabilising waste management, assisting the municipality with the appointment of senior management and assisting the municipality to resolve its billing system challenges and revenue management, including collection.

Hlomuka has also expressed his confidence in Sithole’s ability to strengthen the functioning of the Ugu district. “The wealth of knowledge and experience of Mr Sithole will come in handy as he tackles the challenges that are facing the Ugu district and as a department, we will be continuing with our support to this important district,” concluded Hlomuka.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of former President Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, the KZN Provincial Government has declared the development of the Mandela Capture Site outside Howick complete as it officially unveiled a multi-million rand Multi-purpose and Exhibition Centre at one of the province’s premier tourist sites.

“The release of Madiba on 11 February 1990 marked a turning point in the fight against apartheid. Our gathering at the Mandela Capture Site today affirms this site as a significant landmark in our history and one that ties KZN ever closer to the fabric of the Mandela legacy,” said national Minister of Tourism Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.

The Minister of Tourism was joined by KZN MECs for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka, Public Works and Human Settlements Peggy Nkonyeni, Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and Transport and Community Liaison Bheki Ntulu in officially opening the new state of the art structure at the Mandela Capture Site. The site now features this exhibition centre, the iconic Mandela monument and also hosts the annual Mandela Day Marathon.

“A great deal of hard work has gone into this site since the day it was officially unveiled on 5 August 2012 by former President Jacob Zuma on the 50th anniversary of Madiba’s capture. It now consists of a self-guided exhibition commemorating Madiba’s life and his transformation into a freedom fighter, prisoner and, ultimately, our first democratically elected President,” said Minister Kubayi-Ngubane.

The site also includes an impressive work of art constructed by South African artist Marco Cianfanelli. It is made up of 50 steel columns strategically arranged next to each other to reveal Madiba’s profile at a certain angle against the backdrop of the rolling hills of the KZN Midlands. The artwork is now a familiar sight thanks to the annual Mandela Day Marathon which uses it as its finish line.

“As a South African, one cannot help being overcome by emotions in this place. It is here that apartheid police finally captured Madiba on 5 August 1962 after being on the run for several months. This arrest was one of several that eventually led to the infamous Rivonia Treason Trial and Mandela’s imprisonment for 27 years,” said Hlomuka whose department has spent close to R100-million in developing the new Mandela Multi-Purpose and Exhibition Centre.

In her address, Minister Kubayi-Ngubane announced the commencement of a R12-million upgrade of the visitors’ parking, which includes a gatehouse, driveway upgrade, turning circle visitor parking, pedestrian walkways, internal fencing and way-finding signage. KZN Cogta is also to commence with R1.5- million improvements to the Mandela Sculpture lighting, the Long Walk to Freedom lighting, ambient lighting around the Education Centre, and additional electrical infrastructure which will ensure that the site can be utilised by tourists even at night.

The KZN Provincial Government has developed the site as a fitting tribute to these momentous events in the country’s history. In developing the site, the government had a vision of a sombre place for collective memories but also a place that could attract local and international tourists and provide economic opportunities for the local communities.

KZN Department for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), under the leadership of its MEC Sipho Hlomuka, is continuing with the fight against malfeasance in the sphere of local government in the province.

Hlomuka has welcomed the opening of a case in the Abaqulusi local municipality where an official is accused of siphoning off close to R4-million from the embattled municipality’s coffers.

It is alleged that in December 2019, when the municipality was making a payment of R3,918,716.89 to Eskom, an official changed the recipient’s banking details and when the bank discovered the discrepancy, the said official went further to instruct the bank to continue with the payment.

Upon discovery of this, the Administrator in the municipality moved with haste to secure an interim order for the preservation of the said funds. Through this exercise, R2,596,547.25 was recovered from the said official’s account.

A case has been opened by the municipality and the said official has been taken in for questioning. Hlomuka has welcomed the bold steps that have been taken by the Administrator to ensure that the municipality clamps down on corruption.

“We are very concerned by instances of corruption and as the department, we have a zero-tolerance policy for corruption within the sphere of local government because it compromises the fiscal standing of our municipalities and their ability to deliver services to our communities,” said Hlomuka.

Hlomuka has also issued a stern warning to officials within the province’s municipalities who are entrusted with the stewardship of municipal funds, saying that his department will not rest until those fingered in investigations are brought to book.

“We will never relent in our fight against corruption. Municipalities are not piggy banks for unscrupulous officials,” warned Hlomuka. The department will be keeping a keen eye on the police investigation into the matter at Abaqulusi.

KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), under the leadership of MEC Sipho Hlomuka, has confirmed that all outgoing Traditional Council members have received their stipends, which were paid on Friday, 31 January 2020.

Under the Traditional Leadership and Governance Act of 2005, members of the Traditional Councils, are entitled to a stipend that is based on the number of meetings they attend. The department has paid 1690 members of the outgoing TCs a total amount of R1 245 620.

Explaining the delay in the payments, Hlomuka said that the department has had to review its payments systems following a number of recommendations from the Auditor General. This meant that the department had to overhaul the system it used to pay the members and this has caused the delay in the processing of the payments.

“The payments we completed last week are a clear indication that the department has been able to resolve this issue,” said Hlomuka.

The department is currently facilitating the payment for the few remaining TC members who are either deceased or have not submitted completed forms that are a prerequisite for payment.

Disaster management in the province of KwaZulu-Natal is due for a major shake-up as the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Sipho Hlomuka moves with haste to ensure that municipalities realign their disaster management policies to factor in the reality of climate change.

Hlomuka this morning officially opened the two-days KZN Disaster Summit in Bergville, in the Okhahlamba local municipality, which is attended by mayors and senior disaster management officials. The summit aims to address shortcomings in the disaster management space, which includes capacity building, realignment of policies to factor in climate change, and the activation of local structures at ward level to ensure well-coordinated responses to disaster incidents.

“As a province, we have been on the receiving end of bad weather patterns which have left a trail of death and destruction in their wake. During the previous year, we experienced incidents, such as tornadoes, cyclonic winds, floods and hailstorms. In 2019 we lost 208 innocent lives in these incidents while in the previous year we had experienced 163 fatalities. These numbers are too high and this summit aims to respond to these challenges through the realignment and reassessment of policies on; Disaster Risk Management, Mitigation, Preparedness and Sustainable Development at a local level and provincial level” said Hlomuka.

The province has disaster management centres located in each district whose primary role is to plan and react to disaster incidents. Hlomuka has vowed to support municipalities in their quest to beef up capacity. “We will be working with our municipalities to ensure that they allocate sufficient budgets for disaster management for things like connectivity, personnel and equipment,” added Hlomuka.

The two-day summit is also attended by senior officials from national Cogta, SALGA, traditional leaders and sector departments.

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuko has appealed to residents wishing to participate in the Traditional Council elections, which are set to take place on Saturday 29 February, to make use of this last chance to register at their nearest IEC office before 16:00 on Friday 24 January.

Hlomuka’s call comes after the bumper registration weekend, which saw 2854 voting stations opened on Sunday across rural communities in the province, where residents were able to register. “Many residents used this opportunity to register and to check their details on the voters roll,” said Hlomuka.

This year’s Traditional Council elections are an opportunity for traditional communities to elect 40% of the members who will sit in their respective Traditional Councils. “Our province has 303 traditional communities which have Traditional Councils headed by AmaKhosi. These councils have an important role to play in the fostering social cohesion and working together with Amakhosi to ensure that services are rendered to communities. These elections provide an opportunity for the reconstitution of these councils as they have a term of five years,” said Hlomuka.

The department has also created a toll-free line 0800 023 333, which residents can use during office hours in case they have any questions.

Disaster Management teams are continuing with mop-up operations following the heavy rains that hit the uMsunduzi local municipality over the weekend which damaged 56 houses and affected 241 people in Wards 2, 4, 11 and 23.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka dispatched disaster management teams on Saturday to respond to several incidents that took place because of heavy rains, which caused the Msunduzi River the burst its banks, which flooded some houses.

Disaster Management teams have commenced with mop-up operations and the supplying of affected people with interim relief which includes blankets, plastic sheeting and food.

Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka has commended the good work being done by the disaster management teams in responding speedily to this incident. “Our teams are working together with the municipality to ensure that the affected residents receive adequate support during this difficult time” added Hlomuka.

We are here today to provide an update on the preparations for the traditional council elections which are taking place on Saturday, 29 February.

The Province of KwaZulu-Natal is a deeply rural province, which has large areas that are classified as traditional communities. The province has 303 traditional communities with traditional councils which are headed up by AmaKhosi. These councils have an important role to play in the country’s developmental agenda.

The quest to create a better life for all residents in the province can only be fulfilled through co-operation and partnerships with various institutions. The institution of Traditional Leadership is one of the most critical stakeholders.

 

TRADITIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Our Government, strongly believes that the institution of Traditional Leadership has an important role to play in creating social cohesion within our communities.  In fact amaKhosi are well known for their role in instilling respect and discipline within the communities that they lead.

The law, through the KZN Traditional Leadership and Governance Act, 2005, together with national legislation provide for the election of traditional councils every five years. It provides for the democratic election of 40% of the members that make up a traditional council. The remaining 60% is appointed by the respective Inkosi or Ibamba. It further stipulates that at least 33% of the 60% appointed made by Inkosi has to be comprised of woman.

The law provides for a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 50 traditional council members, this, of course, depends on a formula which takes into consideration the size of the community and the number of izigodi.

These elections provide an opportunity  for all South African citizens who belong to traditional communities to elect from among themselves people who will make up 40% of their respective traditional councils.

These Traditional Councils play a pivotal role in upholding the values and administering the affairs of Traditional Communities and assist Traditional Leaders to perform their functions effectively.

 

ROLE OF THE IEC

As Government we cannot over-emphasise the importance of these elections in entrenching the democratic culture within our society.  It is for this reason that we have fought to have these elections under the guide and command of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) who are utilising their world-renowned expertise to ensure that these elections are credible, free and fair.  We remain grateful for the cooperation of the IEC throughout the process.

 

Our teams have been hard at work with the IEC, in preparation for the Voter Registration Day which is taking place this Sunday, 19 January. We can confirm today that it is all systems go for the voter registration day.

 

We have 2854 voting stations which are spread right across the province in all our Traditional Communities. These stations will be open from 08:00 AM and will close at 17:00 PM.

 

We are urging residents who reside within these communities to visit their nearest voting stations on Sunday to register, re-register if they have moved residence after the May 2019 National and Provincial Election or to check and confirm their details. They can also visit the IEC website on www.elections.org.za to Click, Check and Confirm their registration details or check via SMS by sending an  ID Number to 32810 (R1.00 per SMS).

 

The IEC is using the national common voters roll as it currently exists for these elections. This means that residents who are on the voters’ roll do not need to re-register, as they are the already registered.  HOWEVER, It is important for voters  to check if their current voting station is listed under their traditional authority for the purposes of these elections,   if not, they will need to register in one of the voting stations that appears on their traditional authority list.

 

The list of voting stations was published on Isolezwe Newspaper yesterday (16 January 2020). If they have missed the publications they can visit our website www.kzncogta.gov.za/tcelections to download the list of voting stations

 

ELECTION OF IZIPHAKANYISWA 

 

The elections also include the election of IziPhakanyiswa by the 9 communities who use the system of iziPhakanyiswa. This system is practiced by a few communities whereby they democratically elect for themselves someone to assume the role of a traditional leader. The term of these leaders is also five years as prescribed in the legislation governing the institution of traditional leadership in the Province.

Geographically the communities that will be having the elections of iziPhakanyiswa are in the King Cetshwayo District (2) and in the Harry Gwala District (7).

These iziPhakanyiswa elections will take place on Saturday, 1 February. An  imbizo will be held in the respective communities and  prospective candidates will be nominated and voted for.

 

DISTRICT	ISIZWE
King Cetshwayo	Kholwa/KwaMondi
	Kholweni/eNtumeni
Harry Gwala	Isibonelesihle
	Mabandla
	Malenge
	Jongilizwe
	Ladam
	Mvolozi
	Sandile

 

 

 

EXCLUSIONS

It is important to sensitise our citizens that in Traditional Communities where the seat of ubuKhosi is vacant and there is no recognized Ibamba, the elections will not be held.

 

ACTIVATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

 

As a Department, we are working hand in hand with relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that the voter registration day is a success.

 

Our plea to communities is for them to ensure that they participate in these important elections. The list of voting stations has been dispersed to all the relevant communities throughout all the Districts.

We also have a toll free number 0800 023 333 which community members can call in the case they have any queries.

IMPORTANT ELECTIONS DATES

 The following are the important dates for these elections:

 

OKUZOKWENZIWA	USUKU	ISIKHATHI
Ukubhalisela ukuvota	19 January 2020	08H00 – 17H00
Ukhethwa kwezi-Phakanyiswa	01 February 2020	09H00
Ukwethulwa kwamagama alabo abakhethwe yiNkosi ukuba bakhe isibalo esingu 60% samalungu omkhandlu. Amalungu omphakathi azophakamisa amagama alabo abazovotelwa ukwenza isibalo esingu 40% kumkhandlu.	09 February 2020	09H00
Usuku lokukhetha labo abazokwakha isibalo esingu 40% kwimikhandlu yamakhosi.	29 February 2020	07H00 – 19H00

 

In conclusion, we would like to thank for the media for the continuing support and coverage of these important elections.

 

I thank you.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka alongside members of the provincial legislature visited the Harry Gwala District to participate in the legislature’s school monitoring programme.
The programme is a province-wide initiative spearheaded by the provincial legislature in which members are deployed to various schools across the province to assess the state of readiness for the academic year. MEC Hlomuka first visited Hlokozi High School where he encouraged learners to strive for excellence in the academic year ahead.

In his address to the learners, MEC Hlomuka said, “Education is an important tool that we urge you as young people to use. As young people, you are the future of this country. On this first day of school, we want you to be focused and determined to succeed in this academic year”

Hlomuka also expressed concerns regarding the numerous challenges faced by Hlokozi High School, which include the spread of social ills like drug and substance abuse, vandalism, and poor performance, which stems from the drop in the matric pass rate. The MEC has called for an urgent meeting with Operation Sukuma Sakhe stakeholders so that the issues of social ills can be dealt with holistically.

The delegation, which was chaired by Cogta Portfolio Chair, Honourable Ricardo Mthembu, also visited Kwathathani High School outside Ixopo, where they engaged the management of the school on its plans to improve the performance of the school in the current academic year.