The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Honourable Sihle Zikalala graced the 2019 Youth Parliament that took place at Impumelelo Sports Ground of Sibongile Township in Endumeni Municipality as at 13 to 15 June 2019. In attendance and supporting Premier Zikalala was Mrs Peggy Neliswa Nkonyeni, who assumed office since her appointment on 27 May 2019 to the portfolio of MEC for Humans Settlements and Public Works.
Mr Jomo Sibiya, the Programme Director, managed the two-day jam-packed marquee with ‘zeal and zest’. The entire event was well coordinated and celebrated under the theme “25 Years of Democracy: A Celebration of Youth Activism”. The 2019 Youth Parliament was characterised by prominent features where most speakers, motivated by the sounds and sights of the Impumelelo Sports Ground and its people, shared at least common issue or interest of working together as ‘a collective’.
The engagement was at times so robust than you could imagine. However, a character of ‘tolerance’ had to prevail amongst other speakers. Nevertheless, the participation focussed more on social change than electoral politics and other stuff.
MEC Nkonyeni got to business like a ‘roaring tiger’ as she delivered her presentations, for Public Works and Human Settlements respectively, with ‘vim and verve’. Her presentation was quite fathomable as it precisely responded to the resolutions taken at the 2018 Youth Parliament held on 14 to 15 June 2018 at Belgrade Sports Ground, Pongola Local Municipality in the Zululand District. The best is yet to come.
